Reasons You May Be Suffering From Jaw Pain
Posted on: 24 June 2016
Suffering from jaw pain can be quite excruciating. This pain may start off as mild discomfort then gradually become intense, or it could happen suddenly, making it quite difficult to chew. However, a mistake some people make is simply opting to take over-the-counter painkillers in hopes that it will go away on its own. What you may not realise is that jaw pain can be a symptom of a bigger issue that may need to addressed at a dental hospital. Here are some of the reasons why you may develop jaw pain.
Grinding your teeth
Most people who grind their teeth tend not to know they do so since it happens while they are sleeping. Continuous teeth grinding not only poses the risk of degrading molars but it will also result in tension in your jaws. Left untreated, you could end up suffering from an array of other dental problems. If you notice your jaws have starting paining, it is best to consult a dental professional. If the cause is teeth grinding, they can prescribe mouth guards that would prevent you from doing this while you are sleeping, which should lead to the pain eventually abating.
Jawbone infection
Another reason you may be suffering from jaw pain is if your jaw has developed an infection. One of the more common infections that could be the cause of this is osteomyelitis. This is an infection that makes its way through the patient's bloodstream, affecting bone mass as well as the surrounding tissue. If your jawbone is affected with osteomyelitis, your temporomandibular joint will become impacted. This causes severe jaw pain as well as other symptoms such as swelling in your jaw and a high fever. Any jaw pain that is accompanied with swelling and inflammation should be addressed by a dental professional so that you may get the appropriate antibiotics to treat it. In extreme cases, osteomyelitis of the jaw may require surgery so as to extract the bone mass that has died due to the infection.
TMJ disorder
TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint in your jaw. When this joint is compromised, you will find that it begins to make a clicking sound whenever you try to open and close your mouth. If left untreated, it leads to inflammation and you may even lose functionality in your jaw. If you begin to suffer from pain originating from the joints in your jaw, it is prudent to have a dental examination before the problem gets a chance to escalate.
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