Jaw pain can make it very hard to go about your normal routine. In some cases, the pain may make it impossible for you to function, and in other cases, it may just be a minor irritation. However, when you have jaw pain, no matter how severe or mild, you need to find out the root cause and seek treatment. Pain that may be mild today may be severe another day. There are several different reasons why you may be suffering from jaw pain.
1. TMJ Disorders
You have a joint in your head that is known as the temporomandibular joint, and this joint connects your jaw to your skull. It operates similarly to a sliding hinge. When you have a TMJ disorder, you will experience pain in the muscles of your jaw. This can be caused by arthritis, a jaw injury, and if the disk has been unaligned. There are several TMJ treatment Raleigh NC options that you can do. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and muscle relaxants may be used. Jaw massages, exercises, oral splints, and surgery may be used to correct a TMJ issue.
2. Bruxism
Bruxism is the dental word for grinding your teeth. This condition will cause you to gnash, clench, or grind your teeth, and if you have this condition, you may wake up to toothaches, headaches, and jaw pain. There are many reasons why someone may have bruxism. These include age, genetics, a side effect of certain medication, recreational drug abuse, caffeine, stress, and certain sicknesses. There are several treatment options for Bruxism, including medication, Botox treatments, mouthguards, dental crowns, muscle relaxers, and jaw exercises.
3. Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a disease of the gums which causes an infection of the gums. This can be a very serious infection that can cause severe joint pain. To prevent this condition, you will want to make sure that you are brushing your teeth well, flossing, and having regular dental checkups. The treatment for this condition includes antibiotics, scaling, soft tissue or bone grafting surgery, flap surgery, tissue stimulation protein gel applications, and guided tissue regeneration to help rebuild bone.
4. Cavities
If you have jaw pain, a cause of your jaw pain may be cavities. Cavities can strike at any age. Cavities are holes in your teeth that are from decay. Cavities can be caused by dry mouth, too much acidic food and drink in your diet, too much consumption of sugary foods and drinks, poor oral health, and acid reflux disease. Treatment for cavities includes tooth fillings, root canals, fluoride treatment, and extraction if the cavity is severe enough.
5. Wisdom Teeth
If you have pain in your jaw and you are between the ages of 17 and 25, you may be experiencing your wisdom teeth coming in. Your wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth that you develop. When you have pain in your wisdom teeth, you typically do not have room for them to grow in, and you will need a dental extraction. Once you have the teeth extracted, you will want to take pain-relieving medication, use a saltwater rinse, and make sure that you take care of your oral health. In some cases, you will have room for your wisdom teeth to come in, and you will just need to wait until they are able to cut in. While they are, you can take pain relievers and use salt water to help minimize any pain you are having.
If you experience any kind of jaw pain, you will need to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. You should never wait around to see if the pain goes away. You may run the risk of infection or your condition getting worse.
