Is Jaw Pain Tooth Related?
If you are experiencing jaw pain, you want to get to the bottom of it. While it may be obvious why your jaw is hurting (like if you injured it), other times discovering the reason for jaw pain can be trickier. The problem may not even be your jaw! Sometimes, jaw pain is actually tooth related.
Below is more about jaw pain, its causes, and how jaw pain may be related to your teeth.
What is the Reason for Jaw Pain?
Jaw pain isn’t just one thing. There are a variety of different oral health issues that may be the reason for your jaw pain. Some of these problems include:
* Teeth grinding
* Stress
* Poor jaw alignment
* Injury
* Dental infection
* Bruxism (teeth grinding)
* And more
If you are experiencing jaw pain and you aren’t sure what the cause is, schedule an appointment with your dentist so they can take a look. The earlier you catch the issue, the better chance you have of avoiding more oral health issues moving forward.
Is Jaw Pain Tooth Related?
The answer is, “it can be.” While not all jaw pain is tooth related, oral health problems like cavities can lead to jaw pain. Once your wisdom teeth come in, this can also lead to discomfort and pressure in the jaw. In order to relieve this and ensure other oral health issues don’t occur, the wisdom teeth will likely need to be removed.
What is TMJ?
One common reason for jaw pain is TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) disorder. While this may feel like a toothache, it actually isn’t. Instead, it has to do with the jawbone. A TMJ disorder is often caused by bruxism (teeth grinding or clenching) and inflammation. While you can check the tooth that is experiencing pain for damage, you’ll want to set an appointment with your dentist so they can check whether you have a problem with your tooth, or whether it is a TMJ disorder.
How Can Jaw Pain be Avoided?
While jaw pain can’t always be avoided, there are some things you can do to lessen the chances of jaw pain and increase your chances of avoiding it entirely. Consider these tips for avoiding jaw pain:
* Visit your dentist often. Regular trips to the dentist allow you to catch oral health issues that can lead to jaw pain early on. If you are developing a cavity, for instance, your dentist can take care of it before it starts causing serious pain.
* Reduce your stress levels. Teeth clenching and grinding are sometimes a result of stress. Meditate, exercise, and do other things to lower your stress.
* Seek treatment quickly. If you are experiencing jaw pain and you don’t want it to get worse, seek out treatment quickly.
Reach Out to Your Dentist
Whether the problem is related to your teeth or jaw, if you are experiencing jaw pain, reach out to your dentist and schedule an appointment. They will look at your teeth and jawbone to determine the problem so they can treat it.