Eating:
Chew on your back teeth, especially on the side that is not giving you pain.
• When eating hard food, cut in thin slices.
• When eating large, soft foods, cut into small pieces and place in back of mouth.
Yawn with lips together or put tongue to the roof of the mouth.
Take ibuprofen, one in the morning and one in evening, or as instructed by the doctor.
Use ice when your muscles are in spasm.
Don’t pop your TMJ joint.
Foods to avoid:
• Cheese, especially yellow cheese
• Red wine
• Sticky food (candy) and gum
Pillows:
• Use a lightly-filled fiber-fill pillow. NEVER use a foam (rubber) pillow.
• Place pillow behind the ear, at the base of the head (lower part of the occipital bone on either side) to keep pressure off the cheek and lower jaw.
• A one foot by one foot by 3 inch thick fiberfill pillow should be used.
• The pillow should be folded to fit the area, keeping the neck perpendicular to the shoulder.
• Do not sleep on your face. Sleeping ¾ on your side is better than totally perpendicular. Of course, sleeping on your back is the best. If you find this to be a help and you rotate from side to side, you might get 2 pillows of this size and content.