Jaw pain isn’t something you should just let stay still. Not only can be a constant problem throughout the day that has you tired even from jaw-jawing with your friends. It can an indicator of a more serious problem. Here, we’re going to look at three of the most common causes of jaw pain and what to do about it.
Get a proper rest
One common cause of jaw pain is something you might not even know that you do. The culprit could be sleep bruxism. That is the condition of grinding your teeth in your sleep. There are a lot of sleep movement disorders, some of them having to do with psychological factors which we will cover more in a bit. If your jaw pain is at its worst in the mornings and paired with a headache, neck pains or earaches, that’s a good sign you have sleep bruxism. Wearing a mouthguard in your sleep could greatly decrease the amount of pain you feel. They won’t stop the bruxism, but they make sure the guard takes the brunt of the damage, not your teeth and jaw.
The root cause
If you suffer from bruxism when you are awake, not just sleeping, then it might very well be psychological. When we’re stressed, we say that we feel ‘tense’. That’s not just imagery. Under the effects of stress, our bodies do physically tense up. It’s why we’re more prone to back pain, headaches and, indeed, bruxism. If none of the other culprits here fit, then you might need to look at treating the stress you’re currently coping with.
Are new teeth coming through?
If the pain feels like a very localized pressure, then it might be that you have a wisdom tooth or two coming through. You can easily check inside your own mouth to confirm most of the time. Not all wisdom teeth need immediate treatment. For some people, they feel a little pressure for a while, maybe some pain, before they subside. But if that isn’t the case, you might be due for a wisdom tooth extraction. It’s a good idea to keep your dentist up-to-date on any feeling to do with the growth of a new tooth. They can help you figure out how likely it is you will need a distraction.
Care for your mouth
There are plenty of ways that a poor oral hygiene routine can lead to jaw pain as well. Gum disease, cavities, and abscesses can all cause a lot of pain in the mouth and it can feel like the pain is coming from the jaw if the base of the tooth is affected. If it’s left untreated, it can get even worse and can spread to the root of the tooth, requiring a root canal or a dental extraction.
Rarely is there nothing you can do to stop jaw pain from ruining your day. Sometimes it might go away on its own. In other cases, you might have to deal with it quickly. Just make sure you get yourself to a dentist to find out what’s really up