What causes jaw pain?
Your jaw hinges on two joints, one in front of each ear, called the temporomandibular joints, or TMJ. They work with the chewing muscles every time you talk, eat or swallow, and when they are overworked or inflamed, the jaw aches. Usually more than one thing is behind it:
- Clenching or grinding, often at night and without knowing it. See teeth grinding for the signs.
- Stress, which makes many people clench harder.
- The way your teeth meet, which can play a part.
- Arthritis in the joint itself.
- An injury to the face or jaw.
Could the pain be coming from a tooth?
Tooth pain often spreads along the jaw, and jaw joint pain is often mistaken for an earache, so the source can be hard to pin down. These point toward a tooth:
- An ache in one tooth, set off by hot, cold or sweet things. See toothache.
- A sharp pain when you bite down on one spot, or as you let go, which can be a cracked tooth.
- Throbbing pain with swelling, a bad taste or a fever, which can be a dental abscess and needs seeing soon.
- Soreness behind the last tooth, often a wisdom tooth coming in.
Clicking, popping and a jaw that locks
A click on its own, with no pain and no locking, is common and often needs nothing more than keeping an eye on.
Clicking with pain is worth an evaluation, and so is a jaw that catches or will not open as wide as it used to. If it has locked so that you cannot open fully, call rather than waiting for it to free itself. Appointment scheduling is available 24/7, and treatment happens in the office Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Tell whoever answers what has happened and they will get you seen.
A jaw stuck open, so that you cannot close your mouth, needs an emergency room. The joint has usually slipped out of place.
What helps jaw pain at home
Jaw trouble often settles with simple care, and you can start today:
- Softer foods for a while, cut into small pieces, and no chewing gum.
- Rest for the jaw: no wide yawns, nail biting, or chewing on pens or ice.
- Heat or ice on the sore side, whichever feels better, in short spells.
- By day, notice clenching and let the jaw relax: lips together, teeth slightly apart.
- An over-the-counter pain reliever, exactly as the label directs, if it is safe for you to take.
When should you see a dentist about jaw pain?
If a flare-up settles and stays away, that may be all it needed. Call and arrange a visit if:
- The pain keeps coming back, or is getting worse.
- Your jaw clicks and hurts, catches, or will not open as wide as it did.
- Your teeth look worn, chipped or flattened, or someone has heard you grinding at night.
TMJ screening and treatment here
At the office on Tazewell Street in Pearisburg, a TMJ screening starts with where it hurts, when, and what makes it worse. Then we feel and listen to the joints as you open and close, press on the chewing muscles to find the sore ones, and look at how your teeth meet. If nothing in the teeth or jaw explains the pain, we will say so and suggest you see your physician.
Treatment starts with the simple steps above. When they are not enough, or you grind at night, a custom appliance can help: a thin, hard guard made to fit your teeth and worn while you sleep. It is not a cure, and it works alongside the simple steps. TMJ treatment explains more.
When a jaw needs more than a general dentist should do, such as a joint that stays locked or pain that does not improve, we will refer you to a specialist or back to your physician and explain why.
When is jaw pain an emergency?
Some jaw pain is not a dental problem at all. Call 911 if jaw pain comes with chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, a cold sweat, nausea, or pain in the arm, neck or back. Those can be signs of a heart attack.
Go to the nearest hospital emergency room for any of these, then call us afterward and we will take care of the dental side:
- A suspected broken jaw after a fall or a blow.
- A jaw stuck open that you cannot close.
- Swelling that is closing an eye or spreading down the neck.
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing.
Questions patients ask
Why does my jaw hurt on one side?
Often the joint or chewing muscles on that side, especially if you favor that side when you chew. A cracked or infected back tooth can feel much the same, and an exam of the jaw and teeth tells us which it is.
Why does my jaw hurt when I wake up?
Morning jaw pain often means clenching or grinding in your sleep, which works the chewing muscles all night. A headache around the temples on waking, or worn teeth, point the same way, and it is worth protecting the teeth before the wear turns into chips or cracks.
Can jaw pain be a sign of a heart attack?
It can. Jaw pain with chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, a cold sweat or nausea needs 911, not a dentist. Jaw pain on its own that is worse when you chew is more often the joint or muscles.
Should I see a dentist or a physician for jaw pain?
For pain that is worse when you chew, clicks, or comes with grinding, start with a dentist, who can check the teeth, joints and muscles at one visit. If the cause is outside the mouth, we will say so and suggest your physician.