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If someone mentions a dental issue, you probably think of cavities or gum disease. These issues can be uncomfortable and unfortunately too common among American adults. However, what you may not realize is that other types of dental pain that are just as common, like orofacial pain. If you\u2019re experiencing jaw pain in Helotes, this post is for you!<\/p>\n
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Many patients don\u2019t know what orofacial pain is. This type of pain covers different kinds of discomfort involving the head, face, jaw, neck, and teeth. For example, crooked or misaligned teeth cause the muscles around the mouth and jaw to work harder when chewing and swallowing, leading to dental pain. Clenching and grinding the teeth can literally create a \u201cpain in the neck.\u201d<\/p>\n
Temporomandibular joints are triangle-shaped joints made of muscle and cartilage that sit on either side of your face, just in front of your ears. These joints act as hinges that help your mouth open and close. It can be truly painful and inconvenient when these don\u2019t function properly. Without properly functioning TMJ\u2019s, we cannot function properly enough to eat and speak.<\/p>\n
A toothache or tooth pain is most often caused when the nerve to a tooth is irritated.\u00a0 There are a few different reasons why a patient may experience orofacial pain from toothaches. Risk factors for toothache include dental infection, gum disease, plaque, dental decay, injury, cracked teeth, poorly placed fillings or crowns, failing or leaking fillings or crowns, loss of a tooth (including tooth extractions), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea.\u00a0With this extensive list, patients may ask what doesn\u2019t<\/em> cause orofacial pain.<\/p>\n If you have gone through treatment for pain and still experience symptoms, you could have a sleep order causing your orofacial pain. Teeth grinding, or bruxism, happens when sleeping if patients are stressed. Or, you could have sleep apnea, causing the tissues and muscles in the back of the throat close off the airway. There are many different symptoms that are associated with sleep apnea, including orofacial pain.<\/p>\n When you have orofacial pain that just won\u2019t quit, don\u2019t ignore it in hopes that it disappears one day. Your dentist can perform a complete exam and consult with you about the best course of treatment to correct your dental problem. If you have orofacial pain, don\u2019t wait! Contact your local dentist today.<\/p>\nSleeping Disorders<\/h2>\n
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