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Dr. Christiana Lee

Dental advice: Exercises to relax jaw muscles

Updated: Apr 10, 2023

Jaw Rx-ercises are a set of jaw exercises designed to help you avoid daytime clenching or setting of teeth that causes your jaw and temple muscles to overwork and become sore. Masseter or jaw muscle soreness can be a trigger for headaches and/or jaw pain.


1. Position your tongue gently on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. To find this position say the letter “N”.

2. Holding your tongue in this position, rapidly open and close your jaw 10 times. Do not let your teeth touch when you close, and do not open your mouth more than one finger in width.

3. Keep your tongue in position while you gently open your jaw as wide as comfortably possible. Make sure to keep contact between your tongue and the roof of your mouth while opening.

4. Then slowly begin closing until your lips come together and STOP, closing your jaws. This will be the resting place for your jaw, teeth and tongue throughout the day.


You should perform these four steps thirty or more times throughout the day for up to one week. Doing so will retrain your muscles and brain to relax your jaw in a comfortable resting position, keeping your teeth apart when you are awake. JAW Rx-ercises have been shown to have a positive effect on reducing jaw pain and headache.




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