INPUT ARTICLE: Article: This will relieve the pressure on your jaw. Put your tongue between your teeth to control clenching or grinding during the day. As you go off to sleep try to consciously relax your jaw and don't clench your teeth shut. Ask your dentist about wearing a mouth guard as well. Hold your tongue on the roof of your mouth as you slowly open and close your jaw. Relaxing the jaw will release tension and is a necessary part of any routine that also involves strength training. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. Drop your jaw, allowing the muscles to relax. No need to hold this open position, simply repeat this exercise six times per session, six sessions a day. " While goldfish aren't stretching their jaws when they mouth, so-called goldfish exercises can release tightness in your TMJ. Place two fingers on your TMJ joint (you can localize it by where you feel the most discomfort at the hinge of your jaw near your ear.) Then, place one finger from your other hand on your chin. Drop your mouth open, while applying light pressure against the TMJ. Repeat this exercise six times per session, six sessions per day. Don't apply resistance to your chin when you open your mouth. This exercise is to relax the jaw, not strengthen. You can also use chin tucks to relax your jaw. With your shoulders back and chest up, pull your chin back creating a "double chin" and hold for three seconds. Then, release and repeat 10 times. Stress can cause you to clench your jaw, which can in turn aggravate TMD. Practice breathing in slowly through your nose for five seconds, while releasing the tension in your jaw completely. When you breathe out, also for five seconds, try to relax your jaw even further, really concentrating on slackening each muscle you use to chew. You can perform this exercise as often as you like.

SUMMARY: Keep your teeth slightly apart as often as you can. Open and close your jaw. Try "goldfish exercises. Try chin tucks. Breathe to release tension.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The ideal time to prune a crabapple tree is late winter or early spring, before the new set of leaves begin to appear. You can also get away with pruning in mid- or early winter, though this may make the tree more vulnerable to cold-related injury. Hold off on pruning your crabapple tree until after the first killing frost of the season to ensure that it has gone dormant. In a pinch, it's okay to prune in early summer after the tree has finished blooming, although this can increase the risk of "fire blight" and other warm-weather diseases. Aim to have your pruning finished before June (or December, if you're located in the Southern hemisphere). One of these tools will make it easier to get through thick branches and stems. Chainsaws offer more power for quick and easy trimming, while handheld saws allow for greater control so you can only take off as much unwanted growth as you need. It may also help to have a pair of telescoping loppers to remove smaller stems and offshoots high up in the canopy of the tree. Start by notching the underside of the targeted branch 45 inches (1013cm) from where it meets the trunk. Then, make a second cut 23 inches (5.17.6cm) further out on the limb, this time sawing all the way through. Go back and remove the remaining stump at the collar, or the thick section where the branch grows out the trunk. The first undercut you make will prevent excess bark from peeling off the trunk once the limb comes free. Avoid cutting perfectly flush with the trunk. Insects and disease-causing organisms can easily find their way into the tree through open wounds in the trunk. Inspect the tree for branches that are rotting or appear brittle and colorless. When you find an affected branch, remove the entire limb at its collar. If you're unsure whether particular branch is dead, scrape the wood with your fingernail to remove a portion of the bark. If the flesh is underneath is green-white, it's still alive. If it's brown or black, it's most likely dead. Keeping your crabapple tree free of dead wood is a good idea at any time of year, since it's more likely to introduce disease. Occasionally, a branch will begin to twist in on itself as it grows, reaching back toward the center of the tree rather than out from the center. Saw these branches off close as to the collar as you can without accidentally cutting into the trunk itself or other nearby branches. Removing inward-growing branches will give the tree a neater, more uniform shape. Similar to inward-growing branches, it's possible for some branches to become entwined or compete for space. To get rid of branches that are already crossing, take off both branches where they connect to the trunk. For branches that are growing close together but not yet crossing, you can get away with only removing one branch. If you decide to remove only one branch, single out the one that looks weakest or most awkwardly placed. Low-hanging branches can sometimes interfere with walking, mowing, or other activities that require you to pass beneath the tree. If this is the case, you can deal with them the way you would other large branches by sawing them off close to the trunk. Remember to make your cuts as clean as possible so that no stumps remain. If your tree's lower branches aren't causing a problem, it's usually best to let them stay.

SUMMARY:
Do your major pruning during the dormant season. Use a pruning saw or chainsaw to take care of heavy pruning. Cut large limbs where they connect to the trunk. Clear out dead or dying wood first. Cut away inward-growing branches. Trim branches that cross or are growing too close together. Thin out the lower branches if desired.