Jaw Pain
Jaw pain is not something you need to accept. In fact, it may be the result of something as simple as your current stress level and anxiety, or it might be from a serious health issue. Either way, we advise you to schedule an appointment with your family dentist for an evaluation. They can professionally identify the contributing factor or factors and then suggest the proper treatment to relieve you of your jaw pain.
Some Common Health Issues Related to Jaw Pain
Here are a few suggestions that may be causing your jaw discomfort or jaw pain:
- Teeth Grinding-Grinding and jaw clenching is called bruxism and if often related to stress and anxiety. This will cause facial pain, headaches and will wear down the teeth.
- An Infection- Bacteria forms and causes an infection. If not treated quickly the infection can travel to the jawbone creating a dental abscess creating pain.
- TMJ-TMD Disorder- The temporomandibular joint connects your skull to the jaw. A small disc separates the bones. If this disc becomes misaligned or the joint is damaged, you can experience jaw pain.
- A Bad Bite-An abnormality in the jaw anatomy can cause pain over time.
- Overuse- Pain can simply be the result of overuse. Chewing gum constantly, eating tough foods can cause unwanted trauma.
- Osteoarthritis- Bone loss in the jaw results in less density. The jawbone supports and anchors the teeth. With aging this can become a problem.
- Heart Condition- Jaw pain can be an early sign of a heart event. It may come with other signs and a professional evaluation should be done promptly.
- Sinusitis- Inflammation in your nasal cavities, sometimes from a common cold or an allergy, can cause pain in your jaws.
- Specific Dental Problems- A cavity, an abscessed tooth, gum disease, sores in your mouth, pain when chewing, these are just a few common dental issues that can result in jaw discomfort. All of these can be addressed and rectified by your dentist.
- Tumors and Cysts- Tumors are a mass of tissue and cysts contain fluid. Either can cause jaw pain and can impact your oral health.
At Home Relief
For temporary relief at home for your jaw pain, you can:
- Use Heat- Relaxes the muscles
- Use Ice- Helps numb the pain and can reduce swelling
- Pain Relievers- Over the counter pain medications can help.
- Rest- Choose food that does not require chewing.
- Relax- Try relaxation techniques that can relief your stress and anxiety and relax the muscles.
- Sleep- An under-rated valuable contributor to our quality of life, consider getting more or changing how you
- sleep. Positions can be changed, side to side, that can affect jaw pain.
Professional Dental Treatment for Jaw Pain
With a proper examination and an evaluation your dentist can identify the cause of your jaw pain and then work towards developing the proper dental treatment. A night guard or mouth guard can easily remedy a TMJ/TMD disorder or teeth grinding. An x-ray may disclose a problem below the surface that can be addressed. Trust your dentist to help you with your jaw pain and to correct the problem.