Is TMJ Disorder Inevitable?

It's possible that TMJ Disorder may be an inevitable outcome from our modernized diet consisting of so much white flour and sugar. Weston Price, DDS, warned of this over 70 years ago, yet we continue down the path of dietary suicide.

Studies Show Facial and Dental Changes

In his landmark text, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Price discusses the change in native people's dental arches, dental health and facial changes at great length. No matter if the people studied were from remote Swiss villages or from South Sea Islands, all people who adhered to their native diets were almost 100% cavity free, but those who came under the influence of the modern commodities of white flour and sugar quickly succumbed to runaway dental caries, and within one generation showed marked changes in dental and facial formation.

More than a Generation from Health

Despite Price's highly detailed studies, most modern medical practitioners continue to blithely ignore the tremendous amount of information that Price offered through his careful analysis of diet on dental caries and general health. At this stage, most people who suffer from TMJ Disorder are well beyond the one generational change that occurred with the advent of white flour and sugar.

Diet and TMJ Disorder

It may be a distinct possibility that many cases of TMJ Disorder are inevitable given the malformation of dental arches from several generations of eating a diet based on white flour and sugar. This may seem like a hopeless situation for those with TMJ Disorder if this is indeed the case. Don't go and rage against your parents for their poor dietary choices, however. Most people are completely unaware that our modern diet is greatly lacking in nourishment and overladen with additives and other chemical components.

Salvage What You Can

While you may have TMJ Disorder, most sufferers can do some things to help turn their lives and their disorder around. First, be informed about what you are eating. Personally, I try very hard not to eat anything that has ingredients listed that I can't pronounce, or has three letter abbreviations in the ingredients. That eliminates all processed foods, including store bought bread! Secondly, try to buy organic. You're worth the extra price! Third, concentrate on eating "easy-to-chew" nutritious foods.

Depend on Yourself

Ultimately you'll need to depend on yourself. No one is going to save you with irreversible jaw procedures. Salvage what you can of your life and your jaws. Eat healthfully. Eat a soft, nutritious diet. Avoid excess alcohol, caffeine and drugs, even over-the-counter ones as much as possible. If you are of child bearing age, you may want to consider eliminating white flour products and sugar from your diet to help protect your unborn.