Emily Kwong

Like, I floss.

I have no reason to avoid dentists, but it appears that we as a nation are not going to the dentist enough.

Justin Richard tells me that has led to a delay in the detection of oral cancer across the U.S.,

Justin, by the way, is technically an oral surgeon.

He's based in northern New Jersey, went to dental school in Boston, and did his fellowship in Arkansas.

You've seen so much of America's teeth.

More teeth?

And one of the biggest problems out there is TMJ disorders, or TMD.

That is a suite of disorders affecting the TMJ, or temporomandibular joint.

which moves every time you chew, speak, or open your mouth.

It's a joint that actually connects your jaw to your skull.

And when that joint becomes strained or injured, it can cause stiffness, jaw dysfunction, and pain.

And this is not some niche problem.

Tens of millions of people in the U.S.

have some form of TMD.

And Justin specializes in treating it.

So today on the show, we sit our butts down in the dentist's chair to investigate one of the most pernicious problems of all, TMJ disorder.

Why people get it, who's most susceptible to it, and how relief is possible.

I'm Emily Kwong, and you're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

OK, Justin, so I read that an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the U.S.