Should My Mouth Rest with My Teeth Touching? Understanding the Right Jaw Position

The Importance of Jaw Relaxation

Honestly, if you’ve ever wondered whether your mouth should rest with your teeth touching, you're not alone. This is something I’ve thought about myself, especially when I realized that I tend to clench my teeth more often than I should. For a long time, I thought it was perfectly normal to have my teeth slightly touching when my mouth was at rest, but the more I learned, the more I realized that this might not be the best habit for my jaw and overall oral health.

What Happens When Your Teeth Touch All the Time?

Well, you probably know this already, but the natural resting position of the jaw should actually have a slight space between your teeth. Keeping your teeth lightly apart when your mouth is closed is more natural and less stressful for your muscles. If your teeth are constantly touching, like when you clench or grind them, you might be unknowingly putting a lot of strain on your jaw. And let me tell you, I’ve had my share of jaw pain from not paying attention to this!

The Right Resting Position for Your Teeth and Jaw

Natural Resting Position Explained

Actually, the ideal position for your teeth when your mouth is at rest is for your upper and lower teeth to be slightly apart, with your tongue resting lightly against the roof of your mouth. This might sound a little weird if you're used to your teeth being together, but once I started practicing this, I noticed my jaw felt less tense. The muscles in your face and jaw need to be relaxed, and keeping a little space between your teeth helps achieve that.

The Role of the Tongue

It might sound strange, but the tongue plays a huge role in how your mouth rests. The tongue should be in contact with the roof of your mouth, just behind the upper front teeth. This helps support the proper alignment of your teeth and jaw. Honestly, I had no idea that the tongue had such an impact until a friend of mine, a dentist, pointed this out to me. It was one of those "Aha!" moments.

What Are the Consequences of Teeth Touching Too Often?

Okay, so if you don’t let your teeth rest apart, you might face some serious consequences. The most common problem is jaw tension, which can lead to conditions like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. I’ve heard people talk about how TMJ pain can affect their daily life, and it’s not something to take lightly.

Teeth Grinding and Its Impact

I don’t know if you’ve ever caught yourself grinding your teeth, but I sure have. Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, usually happens while you’re sleeping or even when you're stressed. But what happens when you're not consciously aware of it during the day? If you rest your teeth in constant contact, your jaw muscles stay tense, and you might unknowingly engage in clenching or grinding. This can lead to tooth wear, headaches, and neck pain.

Muscle Strain and Fatigue

If your teeth are in contact all the time, your jaw muscles are working harder than they need to. Honestly, it took me some time to realize that I was putting too much pressure on these muscles. When I started relaxing my jaw more and keeping my teeth apart, I noticed less soreness in my face and neck. It's small changes like this that can really make a difference in reducing muscle fatigue.

How to Train Yourself for Proper Resting Position

Now, you might be wondering how to fix this if you’ve been keeping your teeth touching all the time, like I used to. Don't worry, it's definitely possible to retrain yourself for a better jaw posture.

Start by Being Aware

I know it sounds simple, but awareness is the first step. Just like when I realized I was clenching my jaw during work meetings, becoming aware of when your teeth are touching is crucial. Throughout the day, check in with yourself. Are your teeth together, or is there a slight gap? Even now, I catch myself doing it sometimes, but I’ve learned to quickly relax my jaw and keep my teeth apart.

Relaxing Techniques for the Jaw

To help ease your jaw muscles, try practicing some relaxation techniques. Gentle jaw stretches or massaging your jaw can help release built-up tension. Whenever I feel the tension building up, I do a few simple exercises to loosen up the muscles around my jaw and neck. It may sound a bit "new age," but it really helps!

Practice Good Posture

Also, don’t underestimate the power of good posture. I noticed that when I slouched, my jaw tended to tighten. Standing or sitting with proper posture helps align the head and neck, reducing the strain on the jaw.

Conclusion: Should Your Teeth Touch When Resting?

Honestly, after all the research and personal experience, I can say with confidence that your teeth shouldn’t be touching when your mouth is at rest. It’s much better for your jaw health to keep your teeth slightly apart, with your tongue gently resting on the roof of your mouth. If you’re dealing with jaw pain, teeth grinding, or muscle tension, it might be time to pay closer attention to your jaw posture.

So, next time you’re relaxing, remember: let your teeth breathe a little. It might take some time to get used to, but trust me, your jaw will thank you for it in the long run!

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How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

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Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

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Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.