Pain, regardless of its type, is a very uncomfortable process. Any sort of pain indicates that something isn’t right somewhere in your body. One of those areas could be your jaw.
The nature of the pain can be of any type. For instance, it can be a dull ache, soreness, or sharp relentless pain. Are you going through such pains? So it’s high time you should stop neglecting and start taking action.
Gaining a little bit of knowledge in this field keeps you from panicking in the first place. As a result, let’s have a bit of understanding as to what might be the possible reasons for such uncomfortable jaw pains.
Are you in the habit of teeth grinding?
A lot of people grind their teeth without even being aware of it. Individuals, regardless of their ages, can be a victim of this condition, known as bruxism.
Teeth grinding can be a predominant cause of tooth damage and jaw pain since teeth grinders frequently apply too much strain to their teeth. This is a common problem that occurs due to stress, sleep disorders, or a bite issue.
Some ways to get rid of this habit are doing stress-relieving exercises or wearing a mouthguard at night.
If your teeth grinding habit does not follow any time then it’s a matter of concern. In that case, you should immediately consult your dental hygienist or dentist.
Temporomandibular Disorder or TMJ Disorder to be simple
A TMJ disorder is the most common cause of jaw pain. TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) affects nearly one in every eight people and is most prevalent in females. TMJ disorders are caused by issues with the temporomandibular joint.
This joint acts as a hinge, allowing your jaw to move up and down as well as side to side. This joint basically connects your skull and the jaw. And this joint is the target area of temporomandibular disorder to manifest.
If the joint is out of balance, damaged, or misaligned then the following symptoms might occur:
- Experiencing severe jaw pain, face pain, neck pain, headaches, migraines, and tinnitus
- Tenderness around the area of your jaw
- Earache or clogged ears
- Experiencing stiffness or a clicking or popping sound while opening and closing your mouth or chewing.
- Opening and closing your mouth is painful if the joint locks
TMJ disorder causes the muscles adjoined to the jaw to become strained and sore, which causes patients to frequently undergo jaw pain.
These muscles run the length of your face, jaw, and even your neck. As a result, you may suffer discomfort not only in your jaw but also in other parts of your body.
TMJ treatment is the only way to reduce or eliminate your pain.
The only way out to have riddance of this pain is to see your dentist ASAP and start your TMJ treatment without any further delay.
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is an infection that expands through the bloodstream. It mainly affects the bones and the surrounding tissues. Osteomyelitis in the jaw can cause pain in the cheekbones and jaw, as well as fever and swelling.
Some of the signs and symptoms of osteomyelitis are:
- Fever
- Inflammation, redness, or warmth over the jaw area
- Sharp pain in the jaw area
- Lethargy or fatigue
Sometimes osteomyelitis has no symptoms or the symptoms are difficult to identify amidst other problems. This may be especially true for infants, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
Notwithstanding the fact that osteomyelitis, which was once thought to be incurable, can now be successfully treated. The majority of people require surgery to remove dead bone areas. Strong intravenous antibiotics are usually required after surgery.
Are you having an abscessed tooth?
Are you familiar with the word abscess? The very thought of it paralyses your brain, doesn’t it? The abscess is synonymous with a storehouse of puss. And puss is synonymous with infection.
Hence, the information is more than enough to draw out the answer to the question above. An abscessed tooth is a tooth having a pocket of puss around its infected root area.
Don’t judge your tooth by its outer side which is hard. Its inside is filled with a pulp made up of nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels which are vulnerable to several infections. Most of the time, this infection results from the following:
- A deep cavity or decayed teeth
- Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a type of periodontal disease.
- A chipped tooth
If not treated on time, it can damage the pulp and show the way to a potential abscess. The two common kinds of abscess are:
- A periapical abscess takes place at the tip of your tooth’s root.
- A periodontal abscess targets the bone next to your tooth.
You might likely develop more than one abscess. Alternatively, an abscess can travel through the bone and appear in multiple locations.
However, each is linked to a single tooth. If you aren’t sincere enough to brush your teeth at least twice a day or perhaps you eat a lot of sugar, you’re more likely to have these problems.
Sugary foods and drinks promote bacterial growth, which can lead to cavities and other issues.
The region around the affected tooth may hurt in some cases, not always though. If it does, it is usually accompanied by sharp, intense pain, particularly when you apply pressure to your tooth.
Sometimes, it’s even possible for the infection to spread to your jaw or other parts of your face on the affected side. The identifiable symptoms are:
- Inflammation
- Redness in the gum area
- Taste gets worsened
- High fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Difficulty in breathing or swallowing
- Sensitivity to high or low temperatures
- Swollen gums
- A foul odor comes out while chewing food with that infected tooth
If you ever detect an acne-like bump on your gum, it might be a sign of an abscess. Moreover, if you press it and liquid spews out, it’s confirmed that you are carrying an abscessed tooth. That substance is pus.
You should immediately rush to an emergency room if you have swelling in your face accompanied by fever, or if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing. It’s conceivable that the infection has spread to other parts of your body.
It should be noted that if you are already having an abscessed tooth, it’s foolish to hope that it will improve on its own. You need to see a dentist or endodontist, or a specialist who can help you recover your tooth.
If you are not going to cure it as soon as you can, the infection can spread to your neck, head, or other parts of your body. Hence, it’s a bad idea to dally and think that it is going to find its own cure.
Any kind of Trauma
Jaw pain can be caused by trauma such as a hard hit to the jaw. In this case, you will most likely recognise that trauma is the source of your discomfort.
Trauma to the jaw can result in bruising, swelling, loose or knocked-out teeth, and pain. Should your pain refuse to go away, you can’t open or close your mouth, or you suspect something is broken, you should see a doctor. Your jaw pain shall go away once your trauma recovers.
Other dominant causes of jaw pain
Gum disease or cavities might not affect the jaw in a direct manner. However, it’s highly likely that the pain that is caused due to these infections can spread or be felt around your face or jaw.
Nevertheless, practicing good oral hygiene at home and going to the dentist on a regular basis can help lower your risk of developing any of these conditions.
Some other issues that can cause jaw, face, or chin pain are as follows:
Arthritis
Yes, you read it right! Arthritis causes jaw pain. Arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body erroneously attacks healthy tissue in the body, causing it to swell.
As a result, it can harm the cartilage that allows your jaw to move smoothly, making it feel rather sore and rigid.
Heart Attack
Surprising indeed! The majority of people do not relate a heart attack with jaw pain. What a heart attack has to do with jaw pain? But on the contrary, it is frequently associated with chest pain.
Heart attacks, on the other hand, can cause jaw pain as referred pain. Referred pain is pain felt in a different part of the body than the source.
Some people even have just jaw pain as a symptom of a heart attack. As a result, in order to remain on the safe side, if you experience sudden jaw pain, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Sinus problems
Your sinuses are located beneath your eyes. If they remain inflamed for more than three months, it can lead to a condition known as chronic sinusitis.
The condition can cause difficulty in breathing as well as soreness and pain in the upper jaw.
If you’re having trouble breathing, you may need to see an ENT specialist in order to get rid of your jaw pain.
Cyst or Tumour
Cysts and tumours in the soft tissues of your face or jawbone can grow quickly and actually impact your teeth.
The majority of people who have these odontogenic tumours or cysts require surgery to remove them and find comfort.
Ending lines
All said and done, and to conclude at once, there are numerous causes of pain in your cheekbones, jaw, or chin.
But the good news is that all of these issues can be effectively treated by a healthcare professional, provided they must be identified at the earliest.
Schedule an appointment with a dental professional for a thorough examination to precisely identify the actual source of your pain.