How to Stop Clenching Your Jaw During the Day

To stop clenching your jaw during the day, start by catching yourself doing it. Then reset your jaw to its resting position: lips together, teeth apart, tongue resting on the roof of your mouth. Reminders, short stress breaks and a quick jaw massage help the new habit stick.

Daytime clenching is a habit, and habits can change. Here is why it happens, how to tell if you do it, and 8 simple ways to stop.

Why You Clench Your Jaw During the Day

Daytime clenching usually has little to do with your teeth. It is how your body reacts to pressure and focus. Common triggers include:

• Stress. When the rest of your body tenses up, your jaw tenses too.
• Focus. Many people clench while they read, type, play games or drive.
• Exercise. Lifting weights and hard workouts often come with a clenched jaw.
• Caffeine. Too much can leave you wired and tense.
• Posture. Leaning your head forward toward a screen strains your jaw and neck muscles.

Signs You Clench Your Jaw

You may clench without noticing. Look for these signs:

• Your teeth are touching when you are not eating.
• Your jaw feels tired or sore by the afternoon.
• You get headaches at your temples.
• Your cheeks or jawline feel tight or tender when you press on them.
• The sides of your tongue have wavy marks from pressing against your teeth.
• Your teeth feel sore or sensitive.

Your teeth should only touch for short moments, like when you chew or swallow. The rest of the time, they should be apart.

8 Ways to Stop Clenching Your Jaw During the Day

1. Learn your jaw's resting position

A relaxed jaw looks like this: lips together, teeth apart, tongue resting on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. Try it now and let your jaw hang a little loose. This is your reset position. Every time you catch yourself clenching, come back to it.

2. Set reminders

You can't fix a habit you don't notice. Set a phone alarm for every hour, or put a small sticker on your screen, your car dashboard or your water bottle. Each time you see it, check your jaw and reset.

3. Know your clench moments

Most people clench at the same times every day. Common ones are reading email, sitting in traffic, scrolling your phone, working out and having a tough conversation. Pick your top two and pay extra attention during them.

4. Take a 60-second stress break

Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts. Breathe out through your mouth for 6 counts. As you breathe out, drop your shoulders and let your jaw go loose. Do this 5 times. Slow breathing helps your whole body relax, including your jaw.

5. Massage your masseter

The masseter is the muscle that does most of the clenching. Find it by clenching your teeth and feeling for the bulge in front of your ear. Then relax and roll small circles from that spot down to the corner of your jaw, about 30 seconds per side. Press at about a 3 to 4 out of 10. Our full guide shows how to massage your masseter, step by step.

6. Do 3 gentle stretches

1. Tongue-up opening: Put the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Keep it there and slowly open your mouth as far as is comfortable. Close slowly. Repeat 5 times.
2. Side glide: With your teeth slightly apart, slowly slide your lower jaw to the left, back to center, then to the right. Repeat 5 times each way.
3. Chin tuck: Sit tall. Gently pull your chin straight back, as if making a double chin. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat 5 times.

These should feel easy. Stop if anything hurts.

7. Time your caffeine and skip gum

Keep coffee and energy drinks to the morning, and drink water between cups. Skip chewing gum. It keeps your jaw muscles working all day and gives a tight jaw even more to do.

8. Fix your screen setup

Raise your screen to eye level so you don't lean your head forward. Hold your phone up in front of your face instead of looking down at it. Sit back in your chair with your shoulders relaxed. Better posture takes strain off your jaw and neck.

What About Clenching at Night?

Daytime and nighttime clenching often go together. If you also wake up with a tight jaw or a headache, read waking up with a sore jaw: why it happens and what helps. It covers a simple bedtime routine for your jaw.

How Long Does It Take?

Breaking a clenching habit takes practice. At first, you may catch yourself many times a day. That is a good sign, because it means you are noticing. With steady practice, the reset starts to happen on its own more often, and your jaw muscles get more time to rest.

When to See a Dentist or Doctor

Get checked by a dentist or doctor if:

• Your jaw locks or gets stuck open or closed.
• You can't open your mouth fully.
• Your jaw pain keeps getting worse.
• You have a fever, swelling or numbness in your face or jaw.
• Your teeth are chipped, cracked or worn down.
• You get headaches most days.

A dentist can check your teeth for wear and talk with you about options like a night guard or physical therapy.

The Bottom Line

You stop clenching your jaw by noticing it and resetting it, again and again. Lips together, teeth apart, tongue up. Add reminders, stress breaks and a short massage, and your jaw gets more time off every day.

A habit is easier to keep when it has a cue. That's one reason we made the Orela Jaw Relief Roll-On. Keep it on your desk, and when you catch yourself clenching, roll it from in front of your ear down to the corner of your jaw. The natural mint switches on your skin's cold sensors and quiets the ache, and the cool steel roller massages the muscle.

This article is general information, not medical advice.