It's very common that the joints pop sound. There is about 40% of the population having displacement of the cartilaginous disc in the joint (internal derangement), and this happens more likely to women since their ligaments are more flexible. Like all the other joints, TMJ joints could be strained or hurt due to the trauma at a particular area of the jaw or chronic micro-trauma from abnomral oral habit.

A strained joint is much more vulnerable and will get hurt again easily. Because the joints involve jaw movement when we speak, eat, yawn and laugh, so it's hard to keep the jaw joints and the surrounding muscles in a completely relax. However, we can relax them through jaw exercise. Regular attempt to relax jaw muscle, avoid actions that overload the joints, will probably reduce joint pain and prevent straining those areas.