If you’re feeling pain in your jaw that impacts your ability to speak and eat, there are several possible causes to think of. Jaw pain often stems from an abnormality or physical injury affecting the joint of the jaw. However, jaw pain can also be a result of other factors.

Understanding the cause of your jaw pain is one crucial step that helps you find an effective and long-lasting solution to the problem. Some possible causes of jaw pain include:

1. Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMD)

Studies show that TMDs cause jaw pain in around 10 million Americans and are the most common cause of jaw pain worldwide. TMD (also called TMJ) affects the bones, muscles, and joints responsible for jaw movement, causing pain and discomfort in the jaw.

Several factors can cause TMD – either independently or simultaneously. Some of these factors include:

• Pain from the muscles controlling jaw movement
• Jaw joint injury
• Tooth grinding or clenching (either as a habit or due to stress and anxiety)
• Excessively stimulating the jaw joint
• A displaced disc that helps cushion jaw movements
• Osteoarthritis arthritis, and other forms of arthritis

When you’re experiencing TMJ, some common symptoms you may get are:

• Aching in the teeth 
• Muscle spasms
• Jaw pain or tenderness
• Aching in or around the ear or face
• Clicking and popping sounds
• Pain while chewing, swallowing, or talking

The professionals offering TMJ treatment at Admira Dentistry explains that seeking treatment without any delay can help you eliminate any pain you might be feeling due to TMJ and restore comfort and convenience. You can Google up a TMJ treatment center near you to book your schedule and get help. 

2. Cluster headache

Cluster headache is one of the most painful and worrying types of headache. It typically affects one side of the head (including the eyes) and occurs in patterns or clusters.

Pain from cluster headaches can extend to the jaw over time, making eating and speaking daunting. If your jaw pain is occurring while you’re combating a cluster headache, it’s probably a result of the headache.

3. Dental conditions

Do you have any dental conditions? Gum infection, disease, cavities, tooth gaps, cracked teeth, damaged teeth, and abscesses are all possible causes of jaw pain as well. The jaw and teeth are closely related, and a problem with one may affect the other.

4. Infection

If you’ve been infected within the head and neck region, you may experience jaw pain too. Especially if it’s an ear or sinus infection (sinusitis), the chances of getting jaw pain become even higher. You tend to feel a dull pain in your teeth and jaw and pressure around your eyes and nose region. Some people may even experience fever and other related symptoms.

Other possible causes of jaw pain include heart attack, vascular conditions, osteomyelitis, etc.

Finding Relief

Once you’ve identified the cause of your jaw pain, the next step is treating the pain to help you feel relieved. For minor cases of jaw pain, applying home remedies can do the magic. But when home remedies don’t seem to bring any improvements, getting help from experts like Admira Dentistry can provide the relief you yearn for.