[MissDeVerse1811]

Some mornings frequently the right side of my jaw seems to be locked its mild so far I can open my mouth a good bit but it scares me. Even sometimes when being intimate with my boyfriend if I lay on my back it will lock up and ruin the experience. Occasionally I can tilt my head to the left and it will unlock for a second but relock again. Its not painfully but it's rather alarming and sometimes will cause pain in my cheek region leading to my ear. I really don't know what to think. I don't have health insurance at the moment so going to a dental expert isn't an option. So any reasons or problems that may be causing this? Cures or help?

[Wondergirl]

It sounds like TMJ. A chiropractor helped my sister, and a dentist helped a friend. You probably can't fix this yourself, but will have to get a definite diagnosis and treatment from a medical professional.

[MetalMouthMedia]

Yes, TMJ - temporomandibular joint issues. Google it, and check out buying the book, You Can Conquer TMJ by Becky Coffield to learn about foods to avoid (tough, hard, chewy) and soft-food recipes and tips (try not to yawn widely, really). When you can see a dentist, ask about being fitted for a plastic night "splint" to wear when you sleep. It helped me enormously - my teeth-grinding was a problem. Stress still activates my TMJ but getting adult braces to realign my bite was the 90% solution. I hope these ideas help for now.