[Trismus].

This handout is for informational purposes only. Talk with your doctor or health care team if you have any questions about your care. © August 21, 2015. The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Trismus is a condition when your jaw muscles get tight and you have trouble opening your mouth. This can happen as a result of head and neck cancer and its treatment. Trismus can make it hard to chew, swallow and talk. It can also make it hard to clean your teeth, gums and mouth or have dental work done. Jaw exercises can help to keep your jaw moving and keep the muscles strong. The speech therapist will put a check (√) in the box by the exercises you need to do.