Risk factors for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) include:

• Stress and anxiety, which can cause facial and jaw muscle tension.
• Repetitive habits, such as grinding your teeth (bruxism), clenching your teeth, excessive gum chewing, eating hard or chewy foods, and nail biting.
• Habits that can cause muscle tension, such as sleeping on one side of your face or with your mouth open, opening your mouth wide when yawning or singing, or holding your head up by cradling your jaw in your hand.
• Injury to the jaw or head. TMDs can result from a direct blow to the jaw, chin, or head; whiplash to the head or neck; overstretching the jaw during dental work or surgery; or other injuries that may lead to joint damage or muscle tension.
• Age and gender. TMDs are more common in younger adults (ages 20 to 50) and in women.¹