Switch OFF those clenching jaw muscles.
Flip the switch.
Did you know there's an OFF switch in your mouth that, when activated, can help you to stop clenching your teeth? Your tongue is used to activate the switch and, with intention, you can build healthy habits which can help to relax the muscles that contribute to teeth clenching, jaw tension and more.
Sounds wild, I know. But stick with me.
Find it first.
There’s a little resting pad on the roof of your mouth, just behind the top front teeth, called the incisive papilla - have a feel for it now. It’s the small bump of gum tissue that feels a little bit more textured than the rest of the roof of your mouth. It’s immediately behind your front teeth and it’s the tongue’s natural resting place. That’s your OFF switch.
If you find yourself clenching your teeth throughout the day, placing your tongue there gently will naturally relax the muscles used to close the mouth and you should find that your teeth come apart slightly. That’s the sweet spot and it’s the best place for your tongue to be to help in changing those clenching behaviours.
Feeling into patterns.
As we so often hear, awareness really is the first step toward understanding and change:
Set an alarm to remind yourself to review your tongue position a few times a day.
When you find yourself clenching take a moment to reposition the tongue and take a few deep breaths.
Strengthen your connection with your body by also observing your posture when you realise that you’re clenching. Are you tense through the shoulders, are you clenching your hands or fists, are you tilting your head to one side? Where are your shoulders? Are they scrunched up under your ears or can you allow them to drop and create some space there? Are you folding over in the torso and can you create more room for your diaphragm to expand and contract helping you to breathe more deeply?
That last point is a bit more involved, isn’t it? That’s because stress and anxiety can be major contributors to us clenching our teeth and when we’re feeling external stresses in the body, you better believe we’re recruiting more than the jaw in those clenching patterns.
Try one or a few of these to help retrain your tongue and let me know how you get on.
Lisa x
