The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is perhaps the most complex joint in the human body. It has double joint function effect unlike any other joint in the body- it performs both rotation in the socket and a translation or sliding effect. Most other joints have only the effect of opening or closing thus making the TM joint more difficult to manage. Unfortunately, this high degree of difficulty is poorly understood by so many doctors. Treatment for TMJ disorder is not well taught in either medical or dental school.
In so many people, the disc that covers the condyle (top of the jaw bone) has slipped or been displaced off the condyle and this can lead to pain such as headaches, neck pain, tremors, dizziness, and even poor sleep. The displaced discs create a rubbing effect in the joints and this can lead to inflammation and swelling that can wreak havoc with the whole body.
For women, this inflammation is not good if you are pregnant or nursing because it can hurt the unborn baby and make nursing more difficult. As you can well imagine, if a woman is pregnant, she would not want to have inflammation in her body while the fetus is developing. The inflammation can also have an adverse effect on hormones as well. You can get cortisol spikes occurring when inflammation is present. The cortisol can worsen inflammation when in excess. Imbalances in thyroid hormones will occur and this will affect other bodily functions. Prostaglandins are hormone like substances that are also key players in inflammation and contribute to pain, swelling , and blood vessel dilation.
There is special mention here to cytokines. These are signaling proteins whose actions regulate inflammation, immune responses, and cellular growth. They influence cell growth, differentiation, and survival of various cell types including blood cells. Foods like sweets, cakes, cookies and soda are rich in cytokines which is why a pregnant woman should watch her diet carefully. So now, you can well imagine that a pregnant woman needs to pay careful attention to her diet while being aware that her TMJ disorder can and will likely affect her entire body which in turn can affect the development of the baby in the uterus.