Understanding the Link Between Breathing and TMJ Health
Written in the voice and perspective of Dr. Farshid Ariz
TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of San Fernando Valley
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🌬 When Breathing Through Your Mouth Hurts More Than You Think
Many patients arrive at the clinic reporting jaw tightness, neck tension, or dull headaches behind the eyes. While stress is often blamed, the true source of these symptoms is frequently found in the airway.
A landmark study published in General Dentistry (Nov/Dec 2022) by Steven R. Olmos and colleagues revealed that nasal airway obstruction (NAO) — difficulty breathing through the nose — has significant associations with orofacial pain, TMJ disorders, and chronic headaches.
For decades, Dr. Farshid Ariz has emphasized this relationship to patients and colleagues. His clinical philosophy has always centered around the principle that the airway drives jaw function, posture, sleep quality, and facial muscle health. He teaches that addressing breathing patterns is essential for resolving chronic TMJ pain conditions.
👃 The Nose–Jaw Connection Explained Simply
When nasal passages become blocked — due to a deviated septum, swollen turbinates, allergies, or a compromised nasal valve — the body naturally compensates by opening the mouth to breathe. Over time, this adaptation contributes to:
- Excess tension in the jaw and neck muscles
- Forward head posture
- Sleep-related clenching and grinding
- TMJ joint inflammation
- Morning headaches and non-restorative sleep
The Olmos study, which evaluated 1,393 patients, highlighted nasal valve compromise (NVC) as the most common airway issue. Patients with NVC showed significantly higher rates of both TMJ joint inflammation and facial muscle involvement.
This research reinforces a core belief in Dr. Ariz’s clinical approach:
Chronic jaw pain is often an airway problem in disguise.
🧘 Why Mouth Breathing Hurts the Body
Nasal breathing is fundamental to healthy physiology. It warms, filters, and humidifies air, while supporting proper tongue posture and balanced muscle activity in the jaw and neck.
Chronic mouth breathing disrupts this balance by causing:
- The jaw to drop downward
- The tongue to move backward
- Muscles to work excessively to stabilize the airway
- Forward head posture to develop
- The TMJ and cervical muscles to fatigue and inflame
Patients experiencing the following symptoms may be experiencing airway-related TMJ dysfunction:
- Waking with jaw tightness
- Morning headaches
- Snoring or nighttime mouth breathing
- Persistent nasal congestion
- Neck pain or forward head posture
- Grinding or worn teeth
These patterns align consistently with what Dr. Ariz observes in clinical evaluations.
🩺 Treat the Airway — Not Just the Pain
At the TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of San Fernando Valley, treatment follows a whole-body perspective shaped by Dr. Ariz’s decades of experience. Instead of chasing symptoms, the focus is on identifying and correcting the underlying airway and structural factors that drive TMJ dysfunction.
The clinical approach includes:
- Comprehensive airway evaluation using advanced imaging when appropriate
- Collaboration with ENT specialists, physical therapists, chiropractors, and primary care physicians (PCPs)
- Customized oral appliance therapy to support jaw and airway position
- Breathing and myofunctional therapy to retrain tongue posture and muscle patterns
This multidisciplinary method reflects Dr. Ariz’s belief that true healing occurs when breathing, posture, muscle balance, and sleep are addressed together.
🌙 Breathe Better, Live Better
Decades of clinical practice and supporting research point to the same conclusion: restoring nasal breathing can dramatically improve jaw comfort, posture, sleep quality, and overall well-being.
Patients experiencing persistent jaw tightness or morning headaches are encouraged to consider their breathing patterns.
A simple question often reveals the root cause:
Am I breathing through my nose — or my mouth?
Healthy breathing supports healthy living — and understanding the airway is the first step toward long-lasting TMJ relief.
🧾 Reference
Olmos, S. R. (2022). Nasal Airway Obstruction and Orofacial Pain: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis. General Dentistry, 70(6), 28–33.
Research abstract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36288072/
Full article (PDF): https://tmjsleepstlouis.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Nasal-Valve-PDF-Dr.-Olmos-AGD-genden_olmos_nd2022.pdf