Clenching, Grinding and TMJ Disorder

It would be lovely indeed if one could solve TMJ Disorder by determining why people clench and grind. Ironically, while many people who clench and grind do develop TMJD, some people who clench and grind never develop this disorder. And, wouldn't you know, some people get TMJD who don't clench and grind at all...ever.

Still, the clenching and grinding of teeth is almost always a contributing factor to the development of TMJD. Since this activity is usually done at night while one is sleeping and unaware of what one is doing, it becomes somewhat of a challenge to break this habit. Additionally, the habit is likely a life-long one.

Childhood Clenching and Grinding

This particularly bad habit almost always begins in childhood, as it is quite common for very young children to clench and grind their teeth while sleeping. There are a lot of speculations as to why children develop this habit, and these range from the proverbial stress explanation, to genetics, to diet. For whatever reason children experience nocturnal clenching and grinding of their teeth, however, the habit seems to stop on its own...for most.

Unfortunately, a good many people continue this habit into adulthood. After a decade or two of nocturnal clenching and grinding, it doesn't take much imagination for one to understand why the jaw joints begin to ache, pop, crackle, lock up and in general stage a mutiny.

Diet and Genetics

Increasingly people are looking at diet and genetics as possible causes of this habit. It appears that most clencher/grinders have at least one parent who also does so. But then, one must ask why the parent(s) clench/grind.

Surprisingly, the answer to this question may relate back to the basic diet. Since TMJD is a relatively "modern" disorder, is there something in the diet that makes a person prone to this problem? Weston A. Price, author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, would say yes, quite resoundingly. The addition of sugar to our diet has introduced a plethora of modern ailments and debilitating diseases - so why not TMJD? In fact, I once heard a dietician state that had there been an FDA around in the days that sugar was "developed," it would never have been approved, so damaging and addictive is it to the human body. In today's market there is not only the disastrous effects of sugar per se to deal with, but almost all processed foods have high fructose corn syrup added to them.

Will eliminating sugar from one's diet help stop TMJD and nocturnal clenching and grinding? There's only one way to find out, isn't there?

Got TMJD? Don't Eat These Foods

If you have a really bad case of TMJ Disorder, you may be having difficulty eating much at all. Don't feel relegated to just milkshakes and margaritas though. There are lots of healthful things you can eat, and I'll address some of these things in more detail in another blog.

For now, let's assume you have a painful case of TMJ Disorder, but you are still able to chew food...if you're careful. Or maybe you're not too bad, but after 150 chips with salsa you're in pain. Either way, the following is a list of food you should avoid altogether if you have TMJD.

• Raw, crispy vegetables


• Chips


• Crunchy cereal


• sub sandwiches


• crunch peanut butter


• sports bars


• corn on the cob


• steak, prime rib, pork chops (basically, all chewy meats)


• tacos


• whole apples (cut apple into very thin slices)


• most nuts


• popcorn


• gum


• licorice


• candy bars


• bacon


• hamburgers (as in hamburger sandwiches)


• crackers


• cookies


• pizza


• french bread


• granola bars


• most fast food

This may seem like a formidable list, but if you look at it very closely, you'll see that many of these foods aren't very good for you anyway. Many are loaded with preservatives, chemicals and high fructose corn syrup...or just plain sugar. Eliminating a lot of these foods (except for the vegetables) will actually be good for you.

The following is a list of foods you probably CAN eat:

• fish (all kinds, just not fried)


• cheeses


• beans


• lentils


• rice


• cottage cheese


• oatmeal type cereals


• most vegetables (cooked)


• many fruits


• eggs


• pastas


• soups galore


• olives


• raisins (cooked)


• pancakes, crepes


• muffins


• yogurt


• ground meats


• creamy peanut butter/nut butters


• ice cream!!


• desserts :)


• almost all meats slow-cooked in a crockpot

Now, not all of these items are healthful if eaten in large quantities, I'll admit. But most of them are healthful. Even the high carb items, like pancakes, aren't too bad if you don't drown them in syrup and eat a gigantic stack. Even pasta, a high carb food, is okay. Just don't eat a plateful.

Remember that most, not all, but most cases of TMJD will resolve given time and a softer diet. For good ideas on easy-to-cook, easy-to-chew recipes, check out You Can Conquer TMJ:Ideas and Recipes or One Pot Galley Gourmet, both available at amazon.com or http://www.rlcoffield.com/.

Death in the Desert Deals with Illegal Immigration and Terrorism Issues

Death in the Desert (Moonlight Mesa Associates, 2008) may be more nonfiction than fiction as it portrays Arab-sponsored Mexican drug cartels bent on bringing economic and moral ruin to the United States. Ultimately the goal is to see a Mexican flag waving at the White House, while Americans are on their knees begging for mercy...in Spanish.

Although the book is a distant sequel to Northern Escape, the award-winning suspense novel published by Helm Publishing in 2006, Death in the Desert easily stands alone. Interestingly, the book introduces Jake Starr, an engagingly flawed U.S. Marshal with his own personal agenda for revenge. For those who may wonder, there is no comparison intended between Starr and real life Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio. Many have already asked if there will be a Jake Starr follow-up. For now, the answer is no.

The fact remains, and the book succinctly makes this point, this country is grossly vulnerable to illegal immigration with its thousands of miles of shoreline, its hundreds of ports of entry, and its 2000 miles of southern border. Increasing evidence points to the fact that criminals and terrorists of the worst sort are now illegally crossing this border daily.

An unpopular fact is that the flow of narcotics into this country is a consumer-driven problem. No demand...no business. This may seem a hard line approach to a complex problem, but the fact remains, if people did not buy and use illegal chemicals, the entrpreneurial Mexican drug smuggler would earn his wages doing something altogether different. Thousands of lives would not be lost in the drug wars, and despair would not descend on quite so many.

Death in the Desert is available at amazon.com, http://www.rlcoffield.com/ and http://www.moonlightmesaassociates.com/. This book is not for the queasy - but the truth rarely is.

TMJD Cookbook Helps Many

You Can Conquer TMJ: Ideas and Recipes (Moonlight Mesa Associates, 2007) is in its final printing. Recommended by many dentists, this cookbook was designed and written for those suffering from TMJ Disorder and other myofascial pain conditions.


I wrote this book after having an excruciating bout with TMJ Disorder that lasted well over a year. I was several months into the pain and becoming increasingly depressed, when I decided to take matters into my own hands and take control of my condition. I asked myself what was continuously causing my jaw pain, and I quickly knew it was the foods I was eating and my nocturnal habit of clenching.

Easy-to-Chew Foods


I set off looking for easy-to-chew foods that would be tasty, nutritious and something my family would also enjoy eating. I collected recipes from friends, family, fellow TMJD sufferers and my own concoctions. It was important to me that the recipes be not only easy-to-chew, but also easy-to-cook. I enjoy eating well, but honestly I don't like spending all day cooking.

Within a short time of changing my eating habits, I became pain free. If I deviated from my recipes, however, my jaw would start to twinge again. I quickly became a believer in my own collection of recipes! As I continued to improve and enjoy food again (instead of a steady diet of soups, oatmeal and chocolate milkshakes) I decided I wanted to share these recipes with others who were also having chewing difficulties.

TMJD Sufferers

I interviewed scores of TMJD sufferers and added "Ideas" to help with TMJD situations. I also decided to donate a portion of my profits to animal rescue/shelter organizations. I was excited to help people in any way I could because I personally knew how painful and depressing TMJ Disorder can be.

Several things happened with the publication of this book. One thing, I learned that most people do not have the patience to give this disorder "time" and a "softer diet." Statistically most cases of TMJD will self-resolve given time and a softer diet, but most people I talked with preferred to undergo expensive, often irreversible procedures which often left them worse off than they were before. Obviously, some people must undergo this type of treatment, but for others it is a seriously flawed decision urged by usually well-meaning doctors and dentists.

Other individuals took comfort in mouth guards which are another controversial area of treatment. For some, mouth guards work wonders; for others it's just more aggravation to the jaw. Some still gnaw away on the guards and cause horrendous tooth destruction. Why aren't those people's dentists addressing the root cause of the gnawing and gnashing instead of just making mouth guards?

My great contribution, my sense of helping others, began to fade as people lashed out with caustic comments: why should I buy your book when I can get recipes for FREE on the internet; who made you such an expert; all people need is a good chiropractor, and the like.

Well, I was also blessed that so many others contacted me via emails and letters thanking me for the collection of nutritious, easy-to-cook, easy-to-chew recipes. Many people sent their own recipes to be included if I did another edition. I've even had people call asking for help because their dentist/doctor has not responded to their problem. Always people wanted to share their stories with me, mostly because I understood the problem, the pain and the aggravation, not because I was a "self-styled" expert.

I am down to 300 copies (out of 8,000) of You Can Conquer TMJ: Ideas and Recipes. The book will not be re-issued. If anyone wants a copy of the book, contact me and let me know you've read this blog and the book is yours for only $12.95 plus s/h. (This is $5.00 off the cover price.)

One Pot Galley Gourmet

Also, these same recipes, plus desserts and breads, are in One Pot Galley Gourmet, a spin-off of You Can Conquer TMJ. So many people bought the TMJD book who didn't have TMJD but wanted the easy-to-prepare recipes, that I brought out the second cookbook in 2008. It is already in its 3rd edition! Both books are available also on amazon.com.

Incidentally, today I am painfree, but I will admit, I watch what I eat. I use only my cookbooks!

Unusual Causes of TMJ Disorder

One of the reasons TMJ Disorder is such a difficult condition to pinpoint, is that its causes are far ranging and sometimes very odd.

Talking, a lot of it, may cause jaw discomfort if you're suffering from TMJ Disorder. If you're a teacher or in a profession where talking is a large part of your job, you may qualify for disability if the TMJ condition interferes with your ability to earn your livelihood. Talking will not cause TMJ Disorder, but it can certainly exacerbate the condition. TMJ Disorder that is irritated by talking is discussed in You Can Conquer TMJ:Ideas and Recipes.

Phone Use and TMJD

How do you hold the phone? Are you a person who cradles the phone on one side of your head more than the other? Cradling the phone between your ear and your shoulder can cause stress on the neck and jaw and lead to TMJ Disorder.

Computer Posture and TMJD

How's your posture at the computer? There's growing evidence that one's posture while at the computer can have long ranging effects. Most people don't connect this to the jaw and to TMJ Disorder, but the connection is there. Often times the jaw ends up being bothered because of stress on the shoulders, neck or upper back. This particular cause is one that may be corrected by massage or chiropractic care. There are chiropractors who insist that spinal/neck manipulation alone will cure TMJ Disorder. This may work for some people, but there is no one cure-all for this condition.

Are you straining your neck during exercise routines? Neck muscles can impact the TMJ joint.

Stress and TMJD

There is little doubt that stress often affects people in negative ways, and TMJ Disorder can result from excessive stress. Interestingly, people often insist that they aren't stressed, so stress cannot possibly be the cause of their TMD. Stress, however, manifests itself differently in different people. For example, some people are pacers, fingernail chewers, worriers, so their stress is obvious. Usually this type of stress is emotional, but it has physical manifestations. Sufferers may get upset stomachs, headaches, migraines, depression.

Sometimes, however, the body may be experiencing stress that a person is unaware of. Physical conditions create stress that can manifest in problems like TMJ Disorder. Basically, anything that stresses the body - diet, fatigue, illness, drugs, prescription medication, injury, toxins of any kind, excess caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, even amalgam fillings - can potentially contribute to a person developing TMJ Disorder.

Age and Overuse of the Jaw

Arthritis is another cause of TMJ Disorder.

Hyper-extension of the jaw, usually occuring during prolonged dental procedures, can also cause TMJ Disorder.

Excessive gum chewing, fingernail biting, chewing on objects like plastic straws, pens, pencils, and other hard objects can also bring this disorder on.

Whiplash and TMJD

Of growing interest is the speculation that some cases of TMJ Disorder may be caused by whiplash injuries, often not manifesting until years after the whiplash occurred. Could having been shaken as a child not also result in a whiplash type injury which might not be apparent until TMJ Disorder develops years later?

Fortunately, most cases (certainly not all) of TMJ Disorder will self-resolve given time and a softer diet. You Can Conquer TMJ:Ideas and Recipes includes over 75 easy-to-cook, easy-to-chew recipes designed for the TMJD sufferer.