1. Causes of jaw soreness
Jaw soreness may be due to a disorder of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). TMJ disorders affect the bones, joint and muscles responsible for jaw movement. Symptoms may include:
- Jaw stiffness
- Pain in the face and jaw
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Difficulty chewing or opening the mouth
- A burning sensation in the mouth
- Tooth sensitivity
Other causes of jaw soreness include:
- Maxillofacial fracture: e.g., a broken jaw resulting from a fall or facial impact
- Jaw dislocation: due to opening the mouth too wide, such as yawning
- Dental surgery: post‑procedural jaw pain due to recovery after the procedure
- Muscle strain or trauma: muscle tension may lead to jaw soreness
- Osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis: these conditions can wear down the smooth cartilage surfaces in the joint
- Infectious conditions such as synovitis (inflammation of the joint lining), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis … When these affect the jaw joint, pain may develop
- Sinusitis
- Ear infections
- Periodontal disease, dental caries, inter‑dental cavities, damaged teeth and abscesses may all cause jaw pain or soreness
- Neuralgia: when a nerve is damaged, it may cause continuous or intermittent jaw‑pain/ soreness. Examples include Trigeminal neuralgia, post‑herpetic neuralgia and cancer‑related nerve pain
- Vasculitis may lead to jaw pain; for example, in temporal arteritis, inflamed arteries can lead to jaw fatigue/pain and may be accompanied by vision threats
- Angina (heart chest pain) can present with pain radiating to the jaw in some cases of coronary artery disease
- Tension‑type headache
- Salivary gland disorders
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus)
- Sleep‑apnoea syndrome
- Certain mental‑health conditions
- Stress, fatigue and sleep deficiency
2. Symptoms of jaw soreness
Specific signs accompanying jaw/face pain will differ depending on the cause. They may include:
- Facial swelling; facial pain worsened when the person uses the jaw (chews, opens mouth)
- Jaw stiffness
- Tooth pain
- Joint or muscle pain: pain may range from dull ache to sharp stabbing
- Neural‑type pain: burning, tingling along a nerve path
- Reduced range of jaw motion
- Clicking or popping sounds when opening/closing the jaw
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ear) when opening/closing the jaw
- Ear pain
- Headaches with or without ear pain and/or pressure behind the eyes
- Fever
3. Complications of jaw soreness
Complications may arise if someone with jaw pain does not seek medical care. Some possible complications include:
- Dental complications
- Post‑surgical complications
- Infection
- Persistent pain
- Loss of appetite because of difficulty chewing, pain or swallowing
4. Diagnosis and treatment of jaw soreness
To diagnose jaw pain, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and perform a physical examination. The doctor may also suggest blood tests, imaging studies or both. If a specific cause of pain is suspected, further testing will be recommended.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause of jaw soreness, and may include:
- Antibiotics, if tests show a bacterial infection
- Muscle‑relaxants
- Topical sprays, oral tablets or creams to reduce pain
- Steroid injections into the painful site to reduce inflammation or swelling
- Antiviral medications to treat viral infections causing jaw soreness (such as herpes zoster)
- In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove damaged bone or reconstruct the jaw
Some physical/therapeutic treatments include:
- Use of a mouth‑guard or mouth appliance to protect the jaw
Physical therapy - Relaxation therapy
- Jaw stretching exercises to improve the flexibility of jaw muscles
- Posture assessment to avoid neck and back strain
Some dental treatments for jaw soreness include:
- Root‑canal treatment (endodontics)
- Tooth extraction
- Heat or cold therapy at home
Some home remedies include:
- Soft diet to reduce over‑use of the jaw muscles
- Acupuncture
- Use of orthodontic appliances (braces) to realign teeth
5. Prevention
If you have had jaw soreness, follow these tips to help prevent its recurrence:
- Eat soft or liquid foods, such as soups or pasta
- Avoid chewy or crunchy foods, such as chewing‑gum
- Take small bites of food
- Maintain regular dental care
- Reduce stress via meditation, yoga or other exercises
- Massage the jaw region to relax muscles and increase blood flow
- Use a jaw‑guard to prevent teeth clenching
- Maintain correct posture and avoid carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder for too long
6. When to see a doctor
Jaw‑pain does not always need medical care, but you should seek evaluation if:
- Home‑remedies do not relieve the jaw pain
- The jaw pain disrupts your daily routine
- There’s a change in how your jaw moves or in the alignment of your teeth
- Your jaw makes clicking, popping or grinding noises
- Pain occurs in the neck or upper back in association with the jaw pain
- You have eye‑pain, vision changes or headache
- You have tinnitus in conjunction with jaw pain
- You have dental issues such as broken tooth
- You have jaw swelling and fever
In most cases jaw soreness is due to TMJ‑disorders. Although in many cases jaw soreness does not require urgent medical attention, sometimes it can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition which needs treatment. If your jaw pain is severe, worsening or persistent, you should consult a doctor for diagnosis.
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