Double chins are a problem for a lot of people- the front camera on our phones are far too eager to point this out. Dentistry has a solution for this. Facial and jaw exercises help strengthen your jaw, relax your oral muscles and may help improve your jawline!

Everyone’s cup of tea

These at-home jaw exercises are really easy. Anyone can do them and anywhere you want- in the car or when you’re watching something on Netflix or even on the pot. They’re really useful for people with jaw pain or discomfort.
These jaw exercises are also helpful for people with speech impediments or for kids who are showing delayed development of oral muscles.

Stretching- Loosen Up!

As any good trainer will tell you, stretching is important before any workout. This helps relax your muscles before you work on strengthening your jaw!

To stretch your jaw,

1) Open your mouth as wide as you can without hurting yourself. You should only feel a gentle stretch. No discomfort. Hold this position for a few seconds.

2) Rest your jaw for a few seconds, then open it and move your jaw to the left. Do not move your head. Hold for a few seconds, and do the same on the right.

Strengthen your jaw- Get that muscle!

A set of two jaw exercises to start with

1) Close your mouth. With your lips sealed, separate the teeth as much as you can. Move your lower jaw forward slowly, as far as it can go without feeling pain. Lift your lower lip. Hold here for 5 seconds, and then return to the original position. You can do a few sets of these.

2) Resisted opening/closing- Place your thumb under your chin while opening your mouth to give yourself some resistance. Try to open your mouth wide. While closing your mouth, place your thumb on the chin just under the lower lip. Close your mouth and breathe slowly.

Rocabado Exercises – Strengthen your jaw and posture at the same time

Mariano Rocabado is a physical therapist who created these exercises. These are a set of six exercises meant to help with jaw pain. These can, incidentally, help you get a better posture and make you more flexible! When you have good posture, you automatically look like you have a chiselled jawline!

1) Touch the tip of your tongue to the back of your front teeth, feeling the roof of your mouth.  Take six deep, calming breaths.

2) In the same position, open and close your mouth six times.

3) Place two fingers below your chin, and open your mouth. Once your jaw is open, place your fingers on either side of your lower jaw and move it from side to side. Repeat this- you guessed it- six times.

4) Place your hands behind your head. Bring your chin downwards like you did when your teacher punished you for being a nuisance in school!

5) In this position, move your chin backwards like you’re making a double chin to make your friends laugh. We must face our enemy before we defeat it!

6) Last, push your shoulders together, bringing your chest and ribs upward.

Perform these exercises six times. A chiselled jaw goes hand in hand with good posture!

Let Go- Relaxing after a set of Jaw Exercises

Relax after doing each of the exercises by breathing deep and calming yourself. You deserve a break after working so hard on strengthening your jaw. Remember to never overdo it- your lower jaw needs to be treated delicately or you might end up in pain. If you feel discomfort while doing any of these jaw exercises, stop immediately. It is advisable to book an appointment with your dentist soon! 

“Jawzrsize”

A jawzrsize is a jaw exercise device which is meant to help tone your facial muscles. It is a silicone jaw exercise ball that you can put in your mouth and it provides resistance to closing. This may be bad for you- the joint between your jaws is delicate and cannot take that much pressure.
Stick to the above-mentioned at-home jaw exercises and you will need no more!

Temporo-Mandibular Joint- How Jaw Exercises help with TMJ pain

The joint where your lower jaw connects to your head is called Temporo-Mandibular Joint or TMJ. Many people have TMJ pain due to stress habits like grinding their teeth. These jaw exercises help alleviate that pain by stretching and working out your muscles. Make sure you only don’t overdo it. Call on your dentist if any of these jaw exercises result in pain.

Now that you know about these, you can safely, healthily have a chiselled jawline!

Highlights

• Jaw exercises meant for jaw pain can help you tone your double chin!
• These jaw exercises are meant for everybody, anywhere
• When you have good posture, you automatically look like you have a chiseled jawline!
• You don’t need any extra jaw exercise devices, just do these at-home jaw exercises!