West Green Family Dental

21350 FM 529 Suite 400 Cypress, Texas 77433

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Jaw Pain And Its Possible Causes

Jaw pain can have various causes but on the other hand, dentists have multiple ways to address this issue. Listed below are a few reasons that state why your jaw is aching:

TMJ Disorder
Temporomandibular joint on each side of your jaw acts as a hinge that connects your jaw to your skull. TMJ can also act up just like the other parts of your body. Being one of the most common reasons of jaw pain, TMJ affects 1 in 8 people. Characterized by pain and restricted movement, TMD affects the joints that connects the jawbone to the skull. Symptoms include pain, tenderness in the jaw area, neck, shoulders, face and ear along with clicking sounds. The most common treatments for TMD that have been known since long are muscle relaxants, a mouth guard, and dental procedures to correct bite problems and balance biting surfaces. Home remedies are also applicable, including over-the-counter medications, relaxation therapy and so on.

Teeth Grinding
Teeth Grinding also leads to jaw pain. In addition to this, stress and anxiety are also common triggers for teeth grinding. Worst cases lead to TMJ disorder. Mouthguards and dental procedures are also recommended by some dentists.

Gum Disease
Gum disease is an infection caused by tissues and bones supporting the teeth. Factors like poor oral health habits and skipping dental visits contribute to the buildup of plaque. If you experience signs of gum disease, like bad breath, pain while chewing, receding gums, bleeding and swollen gums. The only way to prevent such signs is by using proper oral hygiene.

Affected Wisdom Tooth
Wisdom tooth comes in between ages 17-25. It could be trouble your jaw, being impactful. You may experience acute pain and swelling, but that’s normal. A tooth extraction, in this case would be the right step. Even after extraction, it can take some time for the infection to clear up.

Sinus Pain
Sinus, allergies and cold can be causes of jaw pain. Patients can try nasal spray and if the pain clears up, they can see their dentist to take care of oral health.

Cavities Left Untreated
Cavity discomfort can also trigger jaw pain. With regular dental checkups, you will be able to make sure that cavities don’t get undetected and untreated. Cavity symptoms that you shouldn’t ignore are, persistent toothache and pain, pain while chewing food, bad breath or taste in mouth, increased temperature sensitivity, dark spots on teeth, bleeding while brushing, swelling in the different parts of gums and so on.

Want to know more about treating jaw pain? Call us today!

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