Stress and Jaw Pain
How is stress related to jaw pain? We all know, and are learning, how deeply stress in our personal and professional lives is affecting our health. Can we consider that stress may have a direct effect on our jaw and teeth?
Symptoms of Jaw Pain which may be related to stress
- Tooth pain- When we are stressed, we may unconsciously grind our teeth. This condition is known as bruxism, and it is very common. Some patients do this while sleeping, and other while awake. We may grind our teeth while enduring stressful situations, or during prolonged periods of grief or stress. Teeth grinding may lead to loss of enamel or physical damage to the tooth, which exposes the tissue to infections and may even lead to the need for extraction.
- Infection- During periods of intense stress, our body’s immune system may be thrown into a flux. Your body becomes more vulnerable due to the trauma caused by the physical stress you are experiencing.
- Locking of jaw- Due to grinding or bruxism, your jaw may become more prone to locking or clicking. This can be a signifier of more complications to your jaw or Temporomandibular structure.
- Jaw pain- After stress induced grinding or infection, the jaw may just generally become more painful. You may experience pain when chewing, or just residual pain due to unconscious grinding. The pain may extend throughout your jaw to your ear, in a consistent or throbbing pattern.
How to begin reducing stress
There are so many techniques and opportunities to consider when you are trying to consciously accept and reduce stress in the modern day. Mindfulness is a great first step, consider the process of accepting why you are feeling stress, what is causing it, and how to process it in a healthy way. The steps to address for this are as follows.
1. Identify- Address what is causing your stress. Whether the root cause is work, family, politics, or grief; the first step is to acknowledge the effect it is having on you. Here it is helpful to have someone to talk to, but you may need to just say it aloud to yourself.
2. Adjust- You need to consciously shift the way you approach the stressor. You may not be able to avoid the source of stress altogether, but you can simplify it in to smaller parts, and learn to deal with them in a more productive manner.
3. Accept- If the stressor is out of your control, you have to accept that you cannot affect change. This can be very difficult, and often does not happen overnight. Do your best, and define where you can control your own stress level.
4. Focus- Pay attention to what makes you happy and reduces your stress. Shift focus to these things. If your stressor is work related, do what you have to to fulfill your obligations, but make time as often as possible to turn your notifications off and do what makes you feel fulfilled.
5. Slow down- Use breathing techniques, communication with loved ones, therapy, and personal time to consciously relax. Reduce heart rate and separate yourself from stress whenever possible.