Is There a Link Between Diet and Jaw Pain? (TMD Explained)
- Julian Simpson
- 21 hours ago
- 12 min read
Is There a Link Between Diet and Jaw Pain? (TMD Explained)
When your jaw hurts, it can feel like the pain takes over everything — chewing, talking, even yawning! Many people don’t realise that jaw pain often comes from temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which affect the jaw joints (TMJ), surrounding muscles, and tissues. In fact, TMD is one of the leading causes of chronic facial pain (not caused by dental problems).
But here’s the surprising twist: your diet may be playing a role in your jaw pain!
Why Does TMD Happen?
The exact cause of TMD is still a bit of a mystery, but we know it’s usually multifactorial — meaning lots of things come together to trigger it. Stress, posture, genetics, and even nervous system responses can all play a part.
People with jaw pain often avoid harder foods to prevent aggravating symptoms. That makes sense — who wants to chew a steak when your jaw is already sore? But over time, this can lead to nutrient gaps and a diet that doesn’t fully support healing.
The Diet–Pain Connection
New research (2025) shows that people with painful TMD tend to eat less healthy foods and more inflammatory foods compared to those without jaw pain.
👉 Diets high in ultra-processed foods, sugars, and trans fats increase inflammation in the body — and inflammation is a major driver of pain.👉 On the flip side, anti-inflammatory diets (like the Mediterranean diet) may reduce pain and support better long-term outcomes.
How Does Diet Cause Inflammation?
Certain foods can cause “leaky gut” (increased intestinal permeability), letting inflammatory molecules like cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) spread throughout the body — even reaching the nervous system. This can amplify pain signals and make jaw pain worse.
Foods That Help Calm Inflammation (and Your Jaw!)
Here’s the good news — food can also be part of the solution! Adding more of these into your meals may help reduce inflammation and support healing:
🥦 Veggies & Fruits
Berries (blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries)
Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit)
Leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards)
Cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage)
Tomatoes (rich in lycopene)
🐟 Healthy Fats
Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)
Olive oil
Nuts & seeds (walnuts, almonds, chia, flax)
🌿 Herbs & Spices
Turmeric & ginger
Garlic, rosemary, cinnamon
What This Means for You
If you’re dealing with jaw pain, it’s not just about massage, adjustments, or relaxation techniques (though those help too!). What’s on your plate might be fueling the fire — or helping put it out.
A chiropractor can help with the musculoskeletal side of TMD (jaw alignment, posture, muscle tension), while you support your body from the inside with better nutrition.
💡 Small changes like swapping chips for blueberries or using olive oil instead of vegetable oil can make a big difference over time.
✨ Takeaway: Your jaw pain isn’t just in your head (or your jaw!) — it’s connected to your whole body. The right diet, combined with chiropractic care, may help reduce inflammation, ease pain, and get you smiling (and chewing) comfortably again.
Jaw Pain (TMJ) Chiropractor
Q: Can chiropractic care help with jaw pain or TMJ?Yes, chiropractic can relieve jaw pain by addressing misalignments in the neck, jaw, and surrounding muscles, reducing tension and improving movement.
Q: What causes TMJ pain?TMJ pain can be caused by teeth grinding, poor posture, stress, or misalignment of the jaw or cervical spine.
Q: Is chiropractic treatment for jaw pain safe?Yes, gentle techniques are used to relieve tension and improve joint function safely.
Q: How many sessions will I need for jaw pain?The number of sessions depends on severity. Many patients feel improvement within a few visits, with a tailored care plan for long-term results.
Q: Can chiropractic help prevent jaw pain from recurring?Yes, posture correction, exercises, and spinal alignment can reduce recurrence of TMJ pain.
For more information about how we can help YOU with your pain and improve your underlying dysfunction so the problem doesn’t come back .
Please call Health Wise Chiropractic 03 9467 7889 or book online to see one of our Chiropractors in Sunbury or Melton/Strathtulloh Today!
We are also really proud to offer our patients an APP for their Mobile- iPad. With access to your rehab exercises and our health tip blogs with over 600 articles.
Chiropractic has moved online. We offer our online program -STAND CORRECTED- To help you through the day.
We have over 30 programs on different health conditions
Each program contains
- Information about the conditions
- things to do and things to avoid
- nutrition advice
- all the stretches that are needed to help
References
Marques CC, Cebola PMTC, Burusco IO, González MG, de Pedro M, Christidis N, Ernberg M, De la Torre Canales G. Is there a link between diet and painful temporomandibular disorders? A cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2025 Sep 17;25(1):1410. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-06835-0. PMID: 40963116; PMCID: PMC12442269.
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