My Jaw Hurts All the Time. What Could Be Wrong?

Posted on 5/1/2024 by Doctor Krajekian

There is nothing funny about jaw pain because when your jaw hurts, it makes your head hurt, your throat hurts, and even your ears can ache. When your jaw hurts, it can be difficult to open and close your mouth or chew your food without pain. If your jaw is hurting, you need some answers. Here is some information about what could be causing your jaw pain.

You Have Bruxism

One of the most common causes of jaw pain is bruxism. Bruxism is a condition in which you either grind your teeth or clench them while you are sleeping. Both clenching and grinding your teeth create problems for your teeth and your jaw. Clenching your teeth means that you use your jaw muscles to push your back teeth against each other. Grinding your teeth means that you move your back teeth back and forth against each other. Bruxism can cause migraines, tooth damage, and jaw pain.

Cavities

Many people do not even know they have a cavity until they experience jaw pain. By that time, the cavity has broken through the enamel layer, the extremely tough outer layer of your tooth, and the dentin layer, the second layer of hard substances under your tooth enamel. If a cavity reaches the soft middle of your tooth, it can cause serious jaw pain.

TMD

Temporomandibular joint disorder is also called TMD. If you have TMD, you are dealing with inflammation of your temporomandibular joint, which is called your jaw joint. Your jaw joint is responsible for moving your lower jaw up and down to speak and chew. However, those jaw joints can become inflamed. If your jaw joint is inflamed, you can have significant jaw pain, and you may not be able to open or close your mouth effectively.

Relief For Your Aching Jaw

If you are experiencing significant jaw pain, contact our office. Depending on the cause, we can recommend some treatments. We would love to help you with your jaw pain. Feel free to reach out to our office today to make an appointment with our dentist.

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