More Than Teeth Podcast | Can You Be Causing Self Imposed Injuries Without Knowing It?

Can You Be Causing Self Imposed Injuries Without Knowing It?

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Hello and welcome to another episode. I'm your host, Dr. Michael Bennett.

I've been thinking a lot about a case that came into my office recently—a middle-aged woman dealing with significant jaw pain. As a jaw specialist, people often come to me when they experience popping, clicking, headaches, and facial pain. For her, even yawning or eating without discomfort was nearly impossible. But beyond her jaw issues, she had a long history of insomnia, which had persisted ever since a surgery several years ago. She was waking three to five times every night and struggling to fall back asleep.

Yet, it was the jaw pain and popping that ultimately brought her in.

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Understanding Jaw Pain and Sleep Issues

When cases like this land in my office, I often think of jaw clicking and facial discomfort as a warning—like a smoke detector going off in your home. These symptoms signal something deeper and potentially more dangerous. I use an acronym, BIB-DMD, to assess patients. It stands for:

Breathing
Inflammation
Balance and decompression
Dysfunction from Movement Disorders

In other words, how well does the patient breathe? How much systemic inflammation do they carry? Is their body aligned and balanced against gravity? And finally, what involuntary movements, especially during sleep, are undermining their recovery?

When I asked this patient about her health history, she had no recollection of any macro trauma—no car accidents, no facial injuries. But her sleep was terribly fragmented, and that alone can create enough microtrauma over time to damage the jaw joint.

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The Importance of REM Sleep

Sleep fragmentation has a serious physiological cost. Our muscles, ligaments, and joints need time in REM sleep—approximately 20% of a healthy night's rest—for recovery. That means at least 90 minutes of REM across eight hours.

REM sleep is when muscle tone drops, effectively creating a temporary paralysis (with the exception of eye and breathing muscles). It’s also when the brain transfers short-term memories into long-term storage. Without adequate REM, healing—both cognitive and physical—slows to a crawl.

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Symptoms and Correlations with Fragmented Sleep

This patient’s symptom list was long:

Anemia
Anxiety
Easy bruising
Dizziness
Chronic fatigue
Cold hands and feet
Excessive thirst
Persistent coughing
Frequent sore throat
Hypertension

Each of these is correlated with fragmented sleep. For example, anxiety and fatigue are amplified when sleep is disrupted. Cold hands and feet signal that the body is stuck in sympathetic dominance—fight-or-flight mode—where blood is diverted from the extremities to protect critical organs like the heart and brain. The same nervous system activation can suppress thyroid function, leading to poor circulation and low energy.

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Impact of Mouth Breathing on Health

She also had signs of chronic mouth breathing—a condition that compromises oxygenation by up to 18% compared to nasal breathing. Mouth breathing leads to a dry mouth and throat, which can create or worsen issues like aspirational asthma and sore throat due to poor filtration and airway contamination during sleep.

Moreover, mouth breathing prevents the tongue from resting on the palate, which is essential for proper facial and dental development. Without that upward pressure, the roof of the mouth doesn't expand correctly, leading to a narrow airway and crowded teeth.

Mouths are for eating. Noses are for breathing. Breathing through the mouth is pathologic.

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The Bigger Picture: Emotional and Environmental Triggers

In her case, stress wasn’t just physiological. She had a teenager who had involved Child Protective Services and law enforcement in family disputes. Whether or not the reports were valid, the emotional toll was very real. A third-party presence in a family dynamic adds layers of stress—particularly in a system that should be based on love and trust.

This emotional stress—combined with under-breathing, chronic fatigue, and nutritional deficiencies—created the perfect storm. Her nervous system was always “on,” making it nearly impossible for her jaw, facial muscles, and ligaments to rest and heal.

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Case Study: Treatment and Improvements

Despite her long list of symptoms, there was a silver lining. We began by thoroughly evaluating her airway and nasal anatomy. We found enlarged turbinates, a deviated septum, and nasal valve collapse—all of which significantly restrict nasal breathing. These anatomical barriers force the body into mouth breathing and can greatly disrupt sleep.

We prescribed a custom oral appliance designed not just to protect the teeth, but to gently expand the upper jaw (maxilla) and improve the space in the nasal cavity. As the appliance encouraged forward and outward growth of the maxilla, the nasal passages began to open up.

What happened next was a dramatic change. Her nasal breathing improved, and as a result:

Her cold hands and feet disappeared.
Her jaw stopped popping.
Her facial pain diminished.
She woke up more refreshed.
Her daytime fatigue improved.
She only woke once per night, down from three to five times.

This was all because her body was no longer caught in a fight-or-flight loop triggered by poor breathing. Her nervous system was shifting toward a parasympathetic state, also known as the "rest and digest" mode—vital for healing.

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Why Mouth Breathing Must Be Addressed

One of the most overlooked issues in chronic jaw disorders is mouth breathing. It leads to:

Dry mouth, which increases oral bacteria and tooth decay
Increased snoring and sleep apnea
Facial underdevelopment in children
Impaired oxygenation throughout the night

Parents, watch your children while they sleep. Are their lips sealed? Is their tongue on the roof of the mouth? These simple observations can help detect breathing disorders before they lead to long-term structural changes. Crowded teeth, a high-arched palate, or a narrow upper jaw are all signs that your child might benefit from airway-focused orthodontics.

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Beyond Physical Treatment: Emotional and Nutritional Stressors

This patient’s journey also highlights the importance of addressing emotional trauma. Her child’s behavior created a chronic state of vigilance, which translated into disrupted sleep. This is a common but under-acknowledged cause of jaw dysfunction and teeth grinding. When the nervous system is perpetually on high alert, nighttime clenching becomes the body’s way of releasing tension and stimulating airflow.

She was also dehydrated—another key trigger of sympathetic activation. Many people forget that water intake plays a vital role in regulating muscle tone, blood pressure, and even jaw stability. Without enough hydration, the jaw muscles are more likely to seize up during sleep.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This case is a powerful example of how jaw pain is rarely just about the jaw. Instead, it's a window into a deeper pattern of stress, inflammation, sleep fragmentation, and often hidden airway obstruction.

In summary:

Chronic facial pain and teeth grinding are often caused by poor sleep, not mechanical trauma.
Fragmented REM sleep prevents the body from entering restorative stages necessary for healing.
Underdeveloped jaws and mouth breathing are red flags for poor airway health.
Emotional and psychological stressors worsen the problem by keeping the nervous system in high alert.
Addressing structural issues, like nasal obstruction and jaw underdevelopment, can significantly improve sleep quality and reduce pain.

If you're experiencing similar symptoms, ask your healthcare provider about sleep testing. Signs like a scalloped tongue, high-arched palate, or forward head posture may point to an underlying sleep breathing disorder. You might also explore airway-focused dental care, oral appliances that promote maxillary expansion, and even nasal valve correction or turbinate reduction surgery if needed.

Ultimately, healing jaw pain means healing the whole person: physically, emotionally, nutritionally, and neurologically. By breathing better, sleeping deeper, and treating the root cause—not just the symptoms—you can truly unleash the healing power of sleep.

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