The Jaw–Pelvic Floor Connection: How Releasing One Area Can Transform the Other
We don’t usually think about our jaw when we have pelvic floor symptoms, or vice versa, but they’re more closely linked than you might imagine. Through fascia, muscles, nerves, reflexes, and even shared developmental origins, tension in one area can ripple through the other.
Research and clinical experience have shown just how powerful this connection can be, and why releasing tension in the jaw can improve pelvic floor tone and function, and the other way around.
1. Understanding the Anatomy
The Jaw (TMJ Region)
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jawbone to your skull.
Key muscles include:
Temporalis – fans out across the side of the skull, controlling elevation and retraction of the jaw.
Masseter – one of the strongest muscles in the body relative to size, responsible for closing the jaw.
Medial & Lateral Pterygoids – deeper muscles that assist in grinding, opening, and moving the jaw side-to-side.
These muscles are encased in fascia that continues into the neck and upper chest.
The Role of Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Teeth grinding, whether during the day (awake bruxism) or night (sleep bruxism) , places constant load on the TMJ and surrounding muscles.
This over-activation shortens and thickens the masseter and temporalis muscles, creating sustained tension that can travel down the fascial network toward the neck, spine, and pelvic floor.
Bruxism is often linked to stress, airway issues, or postural habits, meaning it can also feed into nervous system patterns that drive pelvic floor co-contraction.
Over time, grinding can sensitise the jaw joints, alter head and neck posture, and disrupt breathing mechanics … all of which can contribute to pelvic floor overactivity.
The Pelvic Floor
A layered group of muscles including the levator ani, coccygeus, and associated connective tissue.
Supports the pelvic organs, assists continence, and plays a role in posture, breathing, and sexual function.
The pelvic floor’s fascia integrates with abdominal, hip, and spinal tissues.
2. Fascial & Developmental Links
Your body’s fascia is one continuous, three-dimensional connective tissue web. Two key connections explain the jaw–pelvic floor link:
The Deep Front Line (Anatomy Trains)
This fascial chain runs from the jaw and tongue muscles, down the front of the spine through the diaphragm, and into the pelvic floor.The Dural Tube
This sheath surrounds the brain and spinal cord, connecting from the base of the skull all the way to the sacrum. Tension at one end can transmit to the other.
Embryological Origins: Why the Jaw and Pelvic Floor Are “Distant Relatives”
In early foetal development, the body begins as a simple tube with two primary openings:
The cranial (head) end — which will form the mouth, jaw, tongue, and upper airway structures.
The caudal (tail) end — which will form the anus, perineum, and pelvic floor structures.
Both openings are lined by ectoderm (outer layer) and endoderm (inner layer), with a layer of mesoderm (middle layer) between them. This is significant because:
The muscles and fascia of both regions are mesoderm-derived and share similar connective tissue properties.
Certain nerve pathways develop in parallel, the cranial end’s trigeminal and facial nerves, and the caudal end’s pudendal and pelvic splanchnic nerves, all link into the same central control hubs.
The branchial (pharyngeal) arches in the head give rise to jaw, tongue, and swallowing muscles, while the somite and cloacal regions at the tail end form the pelvic diaphragm. Somite region
What they are: Somites are paired blocks of mesoderm (embryonic tissue) that form along each side of the neural tube in early development (around day 20+).
What they give rise to:
Sclerotome → vertebrae and ribs
Myotome → skeletal muscles of trunk and limbs
Dermatome → dermis of the skin
➡️ Relevance here: muscles of the jaw and pelvic floor both have contributions linked to somitic origins (especially myotomes), which is why patterns of tension and reflexes can echo between craniofacial and pelvic regions.
Cloacal region
What it is: The cloaca is a transient cavity at the tail end of the embryo (weeks 4–7). It’s the common opening for the early urinary, genital, and digestive tracts.
What it develops into:
Urogenital sinus → bladder, urethra, parts of the reproductive system
Anorectal canal → rectum and anal canal
➡️ Relevance here: The cloacal region is the embryological root of the pelvic floor structures — muscles, fascia, and sphincters form around this area. Because the pelvic diaphragm supports and regulates these outlets, its function is tied back to this cloacal origin.
Why it matters for jaw–pelvic floor links
The somitic myotome system provides common muscular origins (explaining why head–neck–pelvis tension patterns often mirror each other).
The cloacal region anchors the pelvic diaphragm’s embryological role in continence, organ support, and reflex activity.
Together, they help explain why the jaw (somite-linked muscles of mastication) and the pelvic floor (cloacal derivatives with somite contributions) can show such strong reflexive and fascial relationships.
Because of this shared origin, the brain still perceives both ends of the body as part of a connected “tube.” This may explain why:
Tension at one end (jaw clenching or grinding) can trigger a guarding response at the other (pelvic floor tightening).
Systemic conditions (such as autoimmune or inflammatory processes) can appear in both locations, as seen with lichen sclerosus.
Releasing or softening one end can help the other “let go” more easily, because you’re working along a developmental continuum, not just a mechanical chain.
3. Functional & Neural Connections
The jaw and pelvic floor also communicate through postural mechanics, breathing patterns, and shared nervous system pathways.
Postural Coupling
Jaw clenching or TMJ misalignment often shifts head position, pulling it forward or tilting it slightly. This changes cervical spine alignment, which can alter lumbar curve and pelvic tilt.
These postural changes affect how the pelvic floor maintains tone and adapts to movement.
Breathing Mechanics
The diaphragm and pelvic floor are pressure partners — they respond to changes in intra-abdominal pressure during breathing, but they don’t move in identical ways.
On inhalation, the diaphragm descends, increasing abdominal pressure. This moves the pelvic organs slightly downward, while the pelvic floor muscles adapt eccentrically to manage the load without “dropping.”
On exhalation, the diaphragm rises, pressure decreases, and the pelvic floor can recoil or lift slightly depending on tone, posture, and activity.
Jaw tension can reduce tongue, hyoid, and neck mobility, limiting diaphragm movement and altering pressure transfer to the pelvic floor.
Stress and Co-Contraction Patterns
Both the jaw and pelvic floor are stress-responsive which means they often contract together during fight–flight–freeze responses.
The trigeminal nerve (jaw) and pudendal/pelvic splanchnic nerves (pelvic floor) have overlapping processing areas in the brainstem, so activation in one can raise tone in the other.
This is why midwives often say, “Relax the jaw to relax the pelvis.”
Reflexive and Functional Movements
The jaw and pelvic floor are part of the body’s reflexive stability system, a network of muscles that respond automatically to changes in balance, pressure, and force without conscious thought.
Everyday Reflexes
Swallowing subtly engages muscles under the jaw, altering thoracic pressure and cueing micro-adjustments in the pelvic floor.
Chewing activates postural stabilisers that extend down the spine to the sacrum; habitual tension here can perpetuate pelvic guarding.
Vocalising (speaking, singing, shouting) engages breath support muscles and often co-activates the pelvic floor to manage pressure.
Dynamic Activities
Running and Jumping trigger a reflexive brace to protect the spine and organs, often involving both jaw and pelvic floor co-contraction.
Lifting and Straining frequently couples jaw clenching with pelvic floor bracing as an instinctive stability strategy.
Habitual Over-Recruitment
Repeated co-activation can hardwire into the nervous system, so jaw clenching during focus may also trigger pelvic floor tightening even at rest.
This low-level overactivity can contribute to urgency, incomplete emptying, or difficulty relaxing for bowel movements.
Why This Matters Clinically
These patterns mean pelvic floor dysfunction can be driven by hidden triggers, like prolonged talking, gum chewing, or impact sports, not just obvious pelvic stressors.
Retraining the nervous system through jaw relaxation drills, tongue mobility work, and pelvic floor down-training can break unhelpful co-activation loops.
4. Clinical Example: Lichen Sclerosus and the Mouth–Pelvis Link
Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, often thought to have autoimmune origins. It typically affects the vulva, perineum, or anus, but can also appear in the mouth, tongue, or gums.
Pelvic Floor Effects
Protective Tension: Pain and irritation in the vulva or perineum often trigger pelvic floor muscles to tighten reflexively.
Scar Tissue: In some cases, LS can cause scarring and reduced tissue elasticity, limiting mobility of the pelvic floor fascia.
Nerve Sensitisation: Chronic inflammation can heighten nerve sensitivity, reinforcing tightness.
Mouth Involvement
Some people with LS also develop oral lesions, leading to pain or restriction in the jaw and tongue.
This can feed into the jaw–pelvic floor chain: jaw discomfort can perpetuate pelvic tension, and vice versa.
Whole-Body Impact
LS illustrates that the jaw–pelvic floor connection isn’t only about mechanics , systemic inflammatory or autoimmune processes can manifest in both areas. It’s another reason why treating pelvic floor dysfunction in isolation may miss key contributing factors.
5. Exercises to Release Jaw and Pelvic Floor Together
Floating Jaw
Imagine your lower jaw “floating” away from your skull with a small gap between teeth.
Keep lips soft, tongue on the floor of the mouth.
Breathe slowly, releasing jaw, neck, and pelvic tension.
Tongue Rolling Inside the Mouth
Lips closed, jaw relaxed, roll the tongue around the inside of teeth and gums.
Move clockwise 3–5 times, then anticlockwise.
Tongue Press-Out and Side Push
Press tongue against inside of cheek, hold 3 sec, release.
Repeat to the other side, then press forward behind front teeth.
Open-Mouth Sigh
Inhale through the nose, exhale with a soft “ahh,” letting the jaw hang.
Imagine the pelvic floor softening with each sigh.
6. Key Takeaway
Your jaw and pelvic floor are partners in more ways than one. Through fascia, nerves, reflexes, and even shared embryological origins, they respond together, to stress, posture, and pain.
Addressing one can transform the other, leading to improved tone, comfort, and overall function
"I’m Abby, a Pelvic floor specialist for women who are ready to get to the bottom of pelvic floor issues and finally heal. Find me at abby@hypopressivescotland.com or book a 1-2-1 here: https://hypopressive.as.me/?appointmentType=63992357 “
