I'm a jaw expert, and you'll never catch me doing these 5 things

• Priya Mistry is a dentist who specializes in treating jaw disorders.
• She says the jaw is part of overall posture, just like the spine and hips. 
• Avoid chewing too much, resting your head on your hands, and reduce stress for better jaw health.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Priya Mistry. It has been edited for length and clarity.

For the 11 years I was practicing general dentistry, about five patients came into my practice each year with severe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders that were impacting their daily lives. This type of jaw pain was debilitating, but I hadn't learned anything about treating it in dental school. I felt like the medical and dental communities had failed these patients.

I wanted to do better for them, so I asked to shadow a TMJ expert. I watched as he evaluated patients' posture and leg length. He taught me how the jaw — along with the feet, hips, and spine — is essential for posture. His patients told me he had saved their lives because they had so much jaw pain before seeing him.

By the end of the first day, I knew I wanted to take over his practice. I had a 2-year-old and a 2-month-old at the time, so he was skeptical. But I worked under him for three years and brought the practice when he retired in 2021. Now, he's like a second dad to me.

Since then, I've learned a lot about jaw health — including that seemingly harmless things can really impact your jaw. Here are five common things you should avoid if you want to foster good jaw health in yourself and your kids.

Avoid resting your head on your hands

Many people rest their heads against their fists when they're looking at the computer during the day. This puts a lot of lateral pressure on the temporomandibular joint, which is designed mostly for back-and-forth movement. Even 20 minutes here and there adds up and can strain your jaw muscles or joints.

I caution my patients against chewing pens, gum, or fingernails

Humans aren't meant to be chewing constantly. Chewing on items throughout the day — like pens, fingernails, or gum — means you're overusing your jaw muscles. You wouldn't do bicep curls all day, right? Chewing on gum or other items is like doing that for your jaw and can lead to overuse injuries.

Don't even get me started on popular jaw strengtheners, which people chew on to try to get a more defined jawline. Those things scare me and I would recommend everyone steer clear.

Don't use your teeth to open things

Lots of people grind their teeth at night without realizing it, which can weaken the teeth. When you use your teeth to tear open a plastic package or anything else, it puts a lot of pressure on the teeth. Sometimes, it's the straw that breaks the camel's back, and your tooth can crack or chip.

It's easier said than done, but try to reduce stress

Lots of TMJ problems happen because people clench or grind their jaws. When we're emotionally stressed, we clench even more than normal. During the pandemic, referrals to my practice skyrocketed, and my mentor and I fully believed it was because of stress. If possible, try to find ways to reduce and manage your stress and relax your jaw.

I advise parents to wean babies off pacifiers by 6 months

Pacifiers and thumb sticking can cause the mouth, palette, and jaw to grow in all sorts of wrong directions. That's why I like to see babies stop using pacifiers by 6 months. Pacifiers interrupt healthy tongue posture (in which the tongue is touching the roof of the mouth). That can lead to mouth breathing and other health concerns that could be avoided by kicking the pacifier early.

Jaw health and tongue position can play a huge role in overall health. Taking small actions to take care of your oral health now — and getting help if you experience issues like clicking, popping, or mouth breathing — can help you stay healthy.