Written by Yasmin · 3 min read
Many men clench their jaw without noticing: at a screen, behind the wheel, during strength training or at night. That can go together with headaches, a tired jaw and a stiff neck. A jaw treatment combining massage and buccal techniques can help release that tension, as an addition to your dentist or physio, not a replacement.
Quick check. Where are your teeth right now? Pressed together? You're not alone.
Why do so many men clench their jaw?
Your jaw joins in with everything you do. Focusing on a deadline. A tough call. Stuck in traffic on the ring road. A heavy set at the gym. Your jaw muscles tighten, and that's normal in itself. The problem is that they often forget to let go again.
Men tend to notice late. When the dentist tells you you're grinding, for example. Or when you wake up with a headache at the side of your head. Or when your jaw clicks while you're eating a baguette.
The muscle doing most of the work here is the masseter. It sits under your cheekbone and, for its size, it's one of the strongest muscles in your body. If it works all day long, it gets overloaded. You feel that in your jaw, but also in your temples, your neck and around your eyes.
Are facial treatments for men too?
Yes. No spa fluff, just results.
I get that "facial" makes a lot of men think of cucumber slices and pan flute music. That's not how I work. I focus on the muscles around your jaw, neck and face. It's hands-on, it's sometimes intense, and you don't have to say or feel anything you don't want to.
Many people only realise during the treatment how much tension they were actually holding. And what it feels like when your jaw doesn't have to do anything at all.
What happens during a jaw treatment?
- Short chat. Where's the tension, do you train, do you grind, do you get headaches, and is there anything medical I should know about?
- From the outside. I work on your neck, jaw and face. Firm where it's possible, light where it needs to be.
- Inside the cheek. In Reveal and Beyond I also work intra-orally on the chewing muscles, wearing gloves. They're hard to reach properly from the outside.
- Wrap-up. I give you a few simple things you can do yourself.
For jaw tension, Reveal (75 minutes) is usually the logical choice. If you'd like to start without the part inside the mouth, Presence (50 minutes) is a good first step.
What can you do yourself about jaw clenching?
- Lips together, teeth apart, tongue against the roof of your mouth. That's your jaw's resting position.
- Set a few reminders a day, or link it to something you already do, like sending an email.
- Watch your jaw while you train. You can lift heavy without grinding your molars.
- Raise your screen to eye level. A head that hangs forward makes your neck and jaw work harder.
Your jaw doesn't need to work harder. It needs to remember how to relax.
Ready to feel what happens when your jaw gets an hour off? Boek je behandeling. Questions first? Just send a WhatsApp.
A jaw treatment is no replacement for your dentist, physiotherapist or GP. If you have ongoing pain, a jaw that locks or symptoms that get worse, have it checked first.