“On and off jaw pain?”
My jaw has been hurting me on and off, and I don't know why. It's sore when I'm chewing my food and whenever I shift it. What could this on and off pain mean? This has been happening for a week.
7 Answers
This is most likely related to TMJ syndrome. These symptoms can come from clenching and/or grinding your teeth. The TMJ could have internal changes or it could be muscle pain from hyperactivity. They can be short term or long term. You would need an examination from a dentist to determine a course of action. This can include Physical therapy combined with splint therapy. It's best to have it checked out.
Have you been stressed lately? TMJ pain is usually a sign of the joint being traumatized and the disk of the joint is inflamed. So every time the joint is pushed into the inflamed disk, it causes pain. Usually we traumatize our jaw by over using like grinding or clenching in our sleep or chewing something extra hard. I would recommend not
To overuse your jaw, softer foods, 600 mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours, heating pad on the cheek and massaging the muscles around the joint. If it progresses, seek a dentist.
To overuse your jaw, softer foods, 600 mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours, heating pad on the cheek and massaging the muscles around the joint. If it progresses, seek a dentist.
So, if you are experiencing pain in your jaw it can be from a number of things. The most common and least recognized by patients is clenching or grinding their teeth at night. This can be evaluated quickly and easily by a dentist familiar with TMJ problems. There are a few reasons why people grind or clench at night in their sleep. One of the most common causes is Sleep Disorder Breathing. Depending where you live, you can find a dentist who treats TMJ Disorders.
Hello,
Could be multiple possibilities. Dentistry is very hard to diagnose over the web. I could list multiple reasons, but it’s best to see your dentist. It could be an infected tooth. Tooth eruption depending on age or other factors.... Do you grind your teeth? Has there been any trauma? Etc. After you see your dentist, they will be able to take an X-ray or CT the area and do a physical diagnosis to see what the problem is.
Thanks!
Dr. J
Could be multiple possibilities. Dentistry is very hard to diagnose over the web. I could list multiple reasons, but it’s best to see your dentist. It could be an infected tooth. Tooth eruption depending on age or other factors.... Do you grind your teeth? Has there been any trauma? Etc. After you see your dentist, they will be able to take an X-ray or CT the area and do a physical diagnosis to see what the problem is.
Thanks!
Dr. J
Do an experiment:
Open wide and close into your normal bite several times. Is there pain, joint noise, other? Now do the same thing, except close so that you are closing with the biting edges of your front teeth touching. Is there any difference in comfort in the 2 jaw positions? If it is more comfortable in the “biting edge against biting edge,” see your dentist. Ask him to make an appliance designed to treat OSA for you. It will support your jaw more forward in the biting edge even with biting edge position. There will be a space between the teeth. They will not touch. This appliance is to treat your joints, not to treat OSA. Wear it all night every night. Allow your jaw 30 minutes to readjust after taking it out before trying to close your teeth together. Your chewing symptoms will decrease with time as your joints heal. You may get a better sleep as well. You may need additional treatment depending on results.
Open wide and close into your normal bite several times. Is there pain, joint noise, other? Now do the same thing, except close so that you are closing with the biting edges of your front teeth touching. Is there any difference in comfort in the 2 jaw positions? If it is more comfortable in the “biting edge against biting edge,” see your dentist. Ask him to make an appliance designed to treat OSA for you. It will support your jaw more forward in the biting edge even with biting edge position. There will be a space between the teeth. They will not touch. This appliance is to treat your joints, not to treat OSA. Wear it all night every night. Allow your jaw 30 minutes to readjust after taking it out before trying to close your teeth together. Your chewing symptoms will decrease with time as your joints heal. You may get a better sleep as well. You may need additional treatment depending on results.
Dear patient,
You should visit the dentist for orofacial pain.
You should visit the dentist for orofacial pain.
Very difficult to tell without X-rays and an exam. It could be coming from a particular tooth or related to your jaw joint.
