5 Problems That Might Be Causing Your Jaw Pain

Written By Anita Ginsburg / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

If your jaw is throbbing, aching or cracking as you chew, you may have a TMD. However, there are other causes of jaw pan. In fact, jaw pain can be caused by a lot of factors, some of them you may not even expect. Here are five problems that might be causing your jaw pain.

You Have TMD

TMD is the abbreviation for temporomandibular joint disorder. The temporomandibular joints are what connects the lower portion of the jaw to the skull. When this particular joint is inflamed or damaged, it can start to cause problems with the jaw, head and even neck.

Below is a quick rundown of what can cause TMD:

• The muscles surrounding the joint are painful
• You sustained an injury to the jaw
• Excessive use of your jaw
• The disc in your jaw has arthritis

While a TMD isn’t life-threatening, it can become increasingly painful as time goes on. If you experience ongoing or recurrent jaw pain, a visit to the dentist is recommended,

You Have Dental Issues

Jaw pain can be indicative of dental issues. Abscessed teeth, crowding, teeth grinding, and gum infection can all lead to jaw pain. People with underbites may also have jaw pain. Small under bites don’t generally pose any threat, but in some cases, it could get more severe with time. Dentists can help correct minor underbites, however, major underbites may require surgery.

You Have Tetanus

Compared to the two aforementioned issues, tetanus is a problem that can cause a lot more than jaw pain. Tetanus is a type of bacterial infection that can cause excruciating spasms in the body. It does this by releasing a toxin throughout the body, which includes the mouth. Tetanus is also usually referred to as “lockjaw.”

Lockjaw makes the muscles in the jaw, and the neck, “lock up” per se. This can make it increasingly difficult to open your mouth, and in some cases, hard to swallow. Talk to your doctor about getting a tetanus vaccine.

You Grind Your Teeth Too Much

Jaw pain can also be caused by bad habits like grinding your teeth. Teeth grinding is the process of forcefully rubbing your teeth together by clenching the jaw. At first, this can come off as a harmless habit., however, doing so puts a lot of strain on your jaw, which causes wear and tear more easily.

You Broke Your Jaw

This is something that mainly occurs with people who play high-intensity sports, like football or kickboxing. But anyone can sustain a broken jaw from things such as falling off a bike, whiplash and being hit in the jaw. Aside from jaw pain, symptoms of a broken jaw include bleeding, dislocated jaw and finding it hard to breathe properly. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact 911 immediately.

Jaw pain isn’t always something to be ignored. It can be a sign of a much larger problem. Do not hesitate to see a doctor if you start having sudden pain in your jaw.

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Written By:

Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, Colo. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn't writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels