What is the Reason for Jaw Pain?
If you’ve ever experienced pain in your jaw, you’re aware of how much it can affect your life. Simple tasks like eating and talking can be unbearably painful, and jaw pain can even make it uncomfortable to turn your head, or it can radiate and lead to headaches and earaches. Jaw pain can be caused by a number of different things, and treatment for jaw pain will depend on the cause of the pain. In most cases, the level and frequency of pain will increase when left unaddressed, and prompt dental care can prevent complications and is a key part of eliminating jaw pain altogether. Because jaw pain can arise due to conditions that don’t directly relate to the jaw itself, treatment may require the work of a few different kinds of medical and dental specialists, and it may require behavioral changes on the part of the patient.
One of the more common causes of jaw pain is a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder, which is commonly referred to as TMJ. The temporomandibular joint is the joint that hinges a person’s upper and lower jaws and is located just in front of the ear, and TMJ can be caused by injury or trauma due to sports or other impact, prolonged grinding or clenching of the teeth, arthritis, and certain hereditary factors. Other causes of jaw pain include impacted teeth, like the wisdom teeth; sinus infections or infections in the teeth; chewing too heavily or aggressively; cysts or tumors in the oral tissue; stress and anxiety, which can lead to clenching and grinding; incorrect dental alignment; and even heart attacks. Clearly, each of these potential causes requires dental attention, and some may also necessitate referrals to other medical specialists in order to address underlying causes.
The primary symptom of jaw pain is pain in the jaw, which is usually persistent and can be throbbing and intense. When jaw pain is minor, which can occur after chewing very hard foods, for example, the pain usually subsides quickly and doesn’t require dental attention. If jaw pain persists or worsens over a period of two or more days, however, see your dentist – even if the pain seems mild but is longer-lasting. If you notice that you feel jaw pain on only one side of your face, it is more likely that the pain is related to an issue with a tooth. This localized jaw pain is common following a tooth extraction, and it can also be a symptom of an impacted tooth that is trapped in the jaw, or it can indicate severe tooth decay in that area. Jaw pain can also radiate to the ears or downward to the neck and interfere with comfortable movement in that area. Depending on the cause, jaw pain may be accompanied by a snapping or popping noise when the jaw moves, swollen lymph nodes, and fever.
While you wait to see the dentist, you may find relief for your jaw pain with over-the-counter medications, and if your jaw pain is caused by clenching due to stress or anxiety, stress-reduction techniques like breathwork or yoga can help reduce stress and relieve pain in the jaw. For pain caused by injury or trauma, ice packs or moist heat can provide relief. When you see your dentist, you’ll provide information about the severity and location of the jaw pain, whether you’ve withstood recent injury, and whatever other symptoms you may be experiencing. You’ll also have a dental examination that may include x-rays, and, once the cause of pain has been pinpointed, you’ll be on your way to a pain-free jaw.