Otitis

Why does my jaw hurt when opening my mouth and chewing? What should I do if it’s jammed? Why can my jaw hurt when I open my mouth and chew food and what can I do about it? I can’t open my mouth wide and it hurts.

Pain in the jaw when opening the mouth can be caused by both dental and many other diseases and malfunctions in the body. Depending on the location of the discomfort and its nature, the doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. Therefore, if discomfort occurs, you need to go to an appointment with a therapist, who will analyze the situation and refer you to a suitable specialist.

If you want to know why your jaw hurts when you open your mouth, read on. Let's look at all the main reasons and ways to eliminate them.

The most popular reason. Pain may be associated with mechanical injury. The most common type of injury is a bruise. With it, only soft tissues are affected, the bones remain intact.

On the face, in the place where the injury occurred, swelling and hematoma occur. Often, a bruise is characterized by severe pain, which interferes with chewing food and normal diction when speaking.

Usually the swelling and hematoma go away within a week, but if the bruise site continues to hurt, you need to take an x-ray to rule out the possibility of a bone fracture.

A fracture can result from a blow or bruise to the jaw. This is a serious injury accompanied by severe pain. Swelling appears at the site of the injury, and a bruise forms a little later. If there is a strong blow with a fracture of the lower jaw, then it is very painful for the person to open his mouth, he can neither open nor close it.

If the upper jaw is fractured, a hematoma may appear under the eye. If the damage is very severe, blood or yellowish fluid may come out of the ears.

Dmitry Sidorov
Orthopedic dentist
In these cases, an urgent x-ray and examination by a surgeon are necessary. Treatment can only be surgical; in serious cases, hospitalization of the patient is necessary.
Mechanical injuries also include dislocation of the lower jaw. The risk of such injury is especially high in people with joint problems. The pain during a dislocation is always very strong, even unbearable; in some situations, loss of consciousness from painful shock is possible. In this case, the jaw is in an unnatural position, the patient cannot close his mouth and talk: it is either pushed forward or skewed to the side. To treat, the surgeon first adjusts the joint, and then the patient is given an x-ray to determine whether or not a bone fracture is present.
Dental pathologies
Pain in the jaw when chewing can be caused by a number of dental pathologies:
These can be severe carious problems that destroy teeth. In their place, cavities appear into which infection or food can enter, constantly irritating the exposed nerve endings.
Perhaps this is pulpitis, which also destroys tooth tissue and irritates nerve endings.
When the periodontal tissues become inflamed, periodontitis occurs.
Complications after pulpitis and caries - inflammation of bone tissue, osteomyelitis.
Tooth injuries – dislocations, splits, fractures of the tooth neck.
Pain in the oral cavity can occur with gingivitis - the gums become inflamed and swollen. Pain is caused by food that irritates the diseased mucous membrane.
After a tooth is removed, its socket may become inflamed. At the same time, it turns red, swells and causes discomfort when chewing food.

Caries Pulpitis Periodontitis Tooth luxation Gingivitis Inflammation of the tooth socket
When pain in the jaw joint is associated with dental problems, the most unpleasant sensations occur during sleep. Patients characterize them as pulsating, sharp, aching. They are also aggravated by eating too hot or cold food or drinks, by vigorous chewing, and by clenching the jaw.
Dmitry Sidorov
Orthopedic dentist
Many dental pathologies can lead to the formation of a purulent process. Most often it is provoked by bacterial infections, much less often the cause is the development of viruses or fungi.
Due to penetration into a wound or through a hair follicle, the infection can develop into a boil. Over time, the inflammatory process moves to soft tissues located deeper, and a purulent focus forms there. This type of inflammation prevents the patient from opening the jaw when chewing and speaking.
Osteomyelitis is a rather serious disease that requires urgent treatment, because the inflammatory process affects not only soft tissues, but also bones; in severe cases, even the bone marrow can be affected. The cause of this disease is an infection that can penetrate both from the external environment and from teeth damaged by caries or purulent cysts. It is rare, but it happens that the infection is acquired through the bloodstream. Symptoms of osteomyelitis are pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, asymmetric swelling of the face, and headache may appear.
Cellulitis and abscess are characterized by the formation of pus, tissue swelling and severe pain. These diseases require immediate medical attention. The difference is that with phlegmon the purulent process is open, and with an abscess it is closed. The patient has a high temperature, headache and jaw pain. The swallowing process is difficult, and it is very difficult to open the jaw.
A complication of these ailments may be the spread of inflammation to new areas and tissue necrosis, which are a threat to the patient’s life.
Neurological pain
Unbearable pain in the jaw occurs with neurological pathologies of its lower part. Particularly strong discomfort occurs with trigeminal neuralgia. At the same time, the pain is sharp, intensifying at night, and, as a rule, its nature is one-sided.
Severe pain when chewing and opening the mouth can be caused by problems with the superior laryngeal nerve; sometimes such pain radiates to the chest. Inflammation of the glossopharyngeal nerve is rare, but still occurs.
Dmitry Sidorov
Orthopedic dentist
For neurological pain, painkillers and drugs to relieve the inflammatory process are prescribed. In some particularly severe cases, surgical intervention is prescribed.
Neoplasms and vascular lesions
Adamantinoma
Jaw pain can be a symptom of cancer. In the early stages of the disease, symptoms are not pronounced. In this regard, patients mainly turn to doctors at later stages of the disease. If we talk about benign formations, these can be osteoma, adamantinoma and osteoblastoclastoma. Malignant tumors include sarcoma, a tumor that affects connective tissue; cancer develops in epithelial tissue; and osteogenic sarcomas affect bones.
Malignant tumors in the upper jaw are not common; tumors in the lower jaw are more common. They grow quickly and metastasize to other organs.
If the facial artery becomes inflamed, burning pain occurs that spreads all the way to the chin or nose. It happens that the pain even radiates into the eye socket. Pathological processes in the carotid artery often provoke migraines, which affect half the face, teeth and radiate to the auricle.
Wisdom teeth
Often the jaw hurts at the time when wisdom teeth are cutting. The pain is aching and sharply intensifies when you open your mouth. In this case, all that remains is to wait for the process to complete and use household painkillers. If discomfort prevents you from sleeping at night and continues for several days, you need to go to the dentist. He will make a small incision in the gum to make it easier for the tooth to grow. As a rule, after such a procedure the patient immediately feels much better. If a wisdom tooth has grown into the gum, it is better to remove it.
Arthrosis is a disease of older people; pain with arthrosis increases with exercise, and becomes weaker at rest. These diseases can be identified by taking an x-ray. If treatment is started on time, then it is quite possible to avoid complications, immobilization of the jaw.
With pathology of the temporomandibular joint, pain is felt not only in the joint, but also in the cheek, temple, and can radiate to the forehead. When you chew, the pain intensifies, and a characteristic click is heard when you move your jaw. There are many reasons for this phenomenon - from a banal malocclusion to a serious disease - osteoarthritis of the joint. In this regard, self-diagnosis and self-medication are strictly not recommended; consultation with a doctor is necessary.
Treatment methods
Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the cause that caused the pathology. Bruises are treated with compresses; in case of dislocations, a specialist has them realigned so that the bones can heal; if a fracture occurs, immobilization is indicated; if the fracture is a fragment, then surgery is needed. Purulent inflammations are treated with antibiotics, abscesses are opened and after that antibiotics are also prescribed. Dental problems require treatment or tooth extraction.
There are a huge number of reasons why the jaw hurts when opening the mouth, and each of them has its own treatment tactics. Therefore, if pain occurs, you should definitely consult a doctor and treat the cause, not the effect. Many of the listed diseases require immediate medical attention; you should not numb your jaw with medications and delay a visit to the doctor, this can be fraught with health, and in some cases even life.

Pain when opening the mouth is a fairly common and unpleasant symptom. This can be either a temporary, passing phenomenon or a signal of a dangerous pathology. To figure out what to do if it hurts to open your mouth, you need to pay attention to a number of accompanying symptoms.

Reason: wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth, or “eights,” are the outermost teeth in the jaw row. They cut their teeth between the ages of 16 and 25, when the replacement of permanent teeth has already ended. Not all people have “Eights” - some do not have them or are not present in full.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

The intensity of pain depends on the characteristics of tooth eruption and the individual pain threshold.

In this case, it's all about the location of the wisdom teeth.

They are located on the edge of the jaw arch in the cheekbone area, the distance between them and the temporomandibular joint is minimal.

In addition, the rudiments of the “eights” are usually located in the gum deeper than the others, so their eruption is much more painful than the appearance of other teeth, causing swelling of the gum mucosa, which can spread to the soft tissues around the joint.

Nature of pain and accompanying symptoms

The pain in such situations is constant, it intensifies when you try to open your mouth completely, while talking, chewing, and it hurts to yawn.

The intensity of the pain depends on the characteristics of tooth eruption and the individual pain threshold - from mild discomfort to serious pain that prevents you from falling asleep.

In addition, the gums swell, the submandibular lymph nodes enlarge, and the temperature may rise. In some cases, the mouth practically does not open.

How to relieve the condition

To relieve pain, you can use medications - Kamistad, Kalgel ointments. To relieve inflammation and swelling, the oral cavity is rinsed with solutions of antiseptics, painkillers and medicinal herbs.

A cold compress may also improve the condition. It is acceptable to take painkillers. If noticeable improvement cannot be achieved within 3-4 days, you need to go to the dentist.

Injuries

Injuries to the lower jaw and its joint occur quite often and rarely go away without consequences. This is due to the fact that it is quite difficult to fix the lower jaw during a fracture or dislocation, and bruises are often left without treatment at all. As a result, the healing of the lower jaw occurs incorrectly.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

When the lower jaw is damaged, the mobility of the temporomandibular joint is impaired

When the lower jaw is damaged, the mobility of the temporomandibular joint is impaired.

In addition, all the muscles that move the lower jaw involve this particular joint, causing sharp pain in it.

The nature of the sensations and accompanying symptoms

The pain is constant, intensifying when opening the mouth, talking, chewing. Associated symptoms include severe swelling of the soft tissues, changes in the shape or position of the jaw, and pathological mobility.

Treatment methods

For treatment, the patient needs to go to the department of maxillofacial surgery.

After diagnostic procedures that make it possible to determine the type of lesion, a surgical procedure is performed to restore the normal position of the jaw. After this, a long recovery period is required.

Dental pathologies

Inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, wisdom teeth caries, and pulpitis can make it painful to open your mouth. Not every dental pathology manifests itself with such symptoms.

Today, there are many different techniques to cope with caries, pulpitis and stomatitis.

The pain is due to the fact that the inflammatory process involves soft tissues located near the temporomandibular joint on the left or right.

For example, with inflammation of the hood of a wisdom tooth or pulpitis in the molars (back teeth, designated numbers 6 and 7 in dental practice).

The main localization of pain is the affected tooth or mucous membrane; when opening the mouth, talking and eating, the discomfort spreads to the lower jaw joint. Bad breath often occurs.

Treatment methods

Sick teeth should be treated in a dental office. Today, there are many different techniques to cope with caries, pulpitis and stomatitis. Most often, they resort to removing the affected part of the tooth and placing a filling.

Neoplasms

Malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity are deadly, but often their early manifestations seem harmless.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

Malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity are deadly, but often their early manifestations seem harmless

Pain is associated with damage to the soft tissues located next to the temporomandibular joint on the right and left sides, their partial destruction.

Damage to the joint itself is also possible.

The pain is increasing, constant, and in the last stages of the disease the patient cannot sleep.

There is bad breath, ulcers on the mucous membranes, tooth loss, diction and voice problems.

Treatment methods

Chemotherapy and radiation treatment are used to treat malignant tumors. Carrying out a full-fledged operation with the removal of damaged tissue is impossible due to the large number of vital structures - vessels, nerves.

Vascular damage

Pathological processes in the vessels can lead to disruption of the blood supply to the jaw joint. In this case, the patient not only experiences pain when opening the mouth, but also experiences disturbances in its mobility.

Cause of pain

Pain occurs due to impaired blood supply to the muscles of the lower jaw, as well as due to inflammatory processes in the vessels themselves

Pain occurs due to impaired blood supply to the muscles of the lower jaw, as well as due to inflammatory processes in the vessels themselves.

Nature of pain and accompanying symptoms

The pain can be burning (arteritis), pulling, pressing, squeezing.

It can spread not only to the joint and jaw, but also to neighboring areas - the ear, the wings of the nose, the cheek. Concomitant symptoms include impaired mouth opening.

Treatment methods

Depends on the specific pathology of the vessel. Various therapeutic measures can be carried out - the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, and, if necessary, surgery on the vessels of the lower jaw.

Neurological pathologies

Neurogenic pain, i.e. sensations caused by pathologies of the facial or trigeminal nerve often occur after hypothermia, head and face injuries. They are always accompanied by a number of additional symptoms, which makes it possible to determine nerve damage.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

Opening the mouth is accompanied by pain because the affected nerve is irritated.

The nature of the sensations and accompanying symptoms

The pain can be completely different in nature.

Associated symptoms depend on which nerve is affected - pain in neighboring areas of the face, dry mouth, impaired facial expressions, cough, sore throat, swallowing problems, sore throat, inability to chew, impaired diction.

Treatment methods

Joint pathologies

Pathologies of the joint not associated with injury - arthritis, dysfunction and others - cause disruption of the basic mechanisms of its operation, so the process of opening and closing the mouth becomes painful.

The occurrence of painful sensations

The pain is associated with damage to the joint, and with movement it intensifies due to an increase in the load on the joint. If there is an inflammatory process, then it also contributes to the formation of discomfort.

Nature of pain and accompanying symptoms

The pain is constant and intensifies when opening the mouth, chewing, talking, or pressing on a joint. It can radiate to the teeth on both jaws, ear, cheeks, head and throughout the face. Local swelling is possible.

Treatment methods

Depending on the causes of the pathology, anti-inflammatory and painkillers are used, and sometimes surgery is necessary. If necessary, joint replacement is possible.

Dislocation of the lower jaw

Inflammation

The inflammatory process (furuncle, osteomyelitis, abscess, phlegmon, etc.) on the skin of the lower jaw, oral mucosa, soft tissues of the cheek can involve the joint and masticatory muscles. Such conditions require urgent intervention.

Causes of pain

Impaired mouth opening is associated with the involvement of the joint, muscles or nerves that allow the mouth to open. Another reason is that when moving in the joint, the position of the inflamed tissues changes.

The nature of the sensations and accompanying symptoms

The pain is constant, sharp, tugging. Associated symptoms include fever, swelling of the face on the affected side, enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw and on the neck, and decreased jaw mobility.

If there is inflammation under the skin, the skin becomes hot and thins. A boil on the face (more common in men) is clearly visible.

Treatment methods

Purulent inflammatory processes are treated surgically. The doctor opens the affected area, washes it with antibiotics, and leaves a drainage to drain the pus. The patient is prescribed a course of antibiotics, regular dressings, and washing of the postoperative wound with antiseptic solutions.

Other Possible Causes

In addition to those listed above, there are other reasons that can cause pain in the jaw and when opening the mouth.

These diseases are not related to the jaw apparatus:

Disease	Cause of pain	Associated symptoms	Treatment
Tetanus	Nerve damage	Cramps, opisthotonus, muscle pain throughout the body	Antibacterial therapy, hyperbaric oxygenation
Carotidydynia	Carotid artery lesion	Facial pain, headaches that occur in attacks	Individual
Red ear syndrome	Impaired blood supply - dilation of blood vessels in the ear area	Pain in the ear, jaw, teeth, half of the face. Redness of the ear	Individual. In rare cases - surgery
Disorders of calcium and phosphorus metabolism	Pathologies of bone structure, osteoporosis	Bone pain, deformed or brittle bones, muscle twitching and weakness	Calcium and phosphorus preparations, enzyme agents to improve absorption
Angina	Irradiation of pain from the tonsils, or swelling of the tonsils	Redness of the throat, enlarged tonsils, cough, painful to swallow	Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs
Otitis	Radiation of pain	Ear pain and congestion, hearing loss	Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antiseptic ear drops

Diagnostics

In order to make an accurate diagnosis, you may need to see several specialists.

Additional symptoms can tell you which doctor will help:

To establish the causes, you need a detailed examination by a specialized specialist; if there is discharge, its analysis, as well as x-rays of the jaws, general and biochemical blood tests.

These examinations will tell you what additional measures need to be taken to determine the cause of the disease.

Pain when opening a child's mouth

The peculiarity of pain in children is that the child can rarely describe the symptom in detail, as well as assess its severity. In addition, children often tend to hide from adults if they are in pain, especially if they are afraid of doctors.

Parents should pay attention to the following features:

The child began to speak slurredly and reluctantly;
It is painful or impossible to open your mouth wide;
Does not eat well, tries to avoid chewing food;
Swelling on one side is noticeable on the face;
The baby holds on to the ear or jaw and constantly touches them.

These signs can indirectly tell parents that the baby has a sore jaw.

When a person experiences discomfort or the jaw hurts near the left ear and it hurts to chew, then it is worth paying attention to the nature of the discomfort. Because this symptom can be caused by existing pathologies or a resulting illness that requires urgent examination and treatment.

It is also necessary to determine whether other symptoms are present.

Reasons for the manifestation of the symptom

In the case when the jaw begins to hurt on one side and radiates into the ear, you should speak about the presence of a possible disease:

Pathologies of the gums, maxillodental apparatus and mandibular temporal joint.
Diseases of the air-circulating sinuses.
Inflammatory and infectious process in the tonsils and adjacent tissues, as well as the throat.
Pathologies of the nervous system of peripheral nature.
Inflammation of the lymph nodes.

Pathologies of the gums, maxillodental apparatus and mandibular temporal joint interfere with the full functioning of the lower jaw on the right and left sides, and also cause discomfort to the ear.

As a rule, jaw problems are solved dentists and surgeons maxillofacial specialization, performing surgical treatment, eliminating abscesses, osteomyelitis and phlegmon of the jaw. These complications extending into the ear are noted due to the negative impact of diseased teeth.

Diseases of the air-circulating sinuses arise due to one inflammatory and advanced purulent process, tumors of the cavity of the bone process located behind the ear.

An otolaryngologist deals with this disease.

The inflammatory process in the tonsils and adjacent tissues, as well as an infection in the throat, is treated by an ENT doctor.

Problems with the nervous system of a special peripheral nature are provoked by irritation or prolonged inflammation of the nerve ganglia that accumulate the bodies and roots of nerve cells.

Inflammation of the lymph nodes located in the lower jaw occurs simultaneously with the collection of infected lymph from the soft facial tissues, throat, nose and eyes.

It happens that they find themselves cancer cells, when malignant formations are located in the mucous membranes, soft tissues of the occipital and facial region, as well as in the bones.

It is important to pay attention to the fact that in the absence of deviations from the norm, the lymph nodes are not palpable, do not hurt, and do not cause harm to the ear.

Pain in the jaw on the left and right side

Discomfort in the jaw, depending on its location, may indicate the presence of various types of illness.

So, under the influence of diseases, it begins to hurt with:

Left side.
Right side.

Pain in the jaw on the left indicates the presence conditions of angina or heart attack. Because as a result of this type of pathology, blood circulation in the heart vessels is disrupted, which can cause pain behind the sternum and in the center of the chest. And in some cases, the pain radiates to the jaw on the left side.

Usually the right side of the jaw and ear begins to hurt due to the influence of infections and inflammatory processes or neoplasms. An exception may be an injury characterized by pain, bruising and swelling, which makes it difficult to open the mouth freely.

When an increase in body temperature appears and the jaw on the right begins to ache, then we should talk about the presence of a purulent area, caused by polio as a complication of tonsillitis or an illness of the lymph nodes of the submandibular nodes.

When the jaw hurts constantly, and the sensations have pulling properties, we should talk about the manifestation of formations.

Oncological factor

Pain on the right side of the jaw may occur due to malignant bone formation or osteogenic sarcoma.

Before the main symptoms appear, the sensitivity of the nerve processes decreases, and significant numbness is noted. As this disease progresses, the jaw bones and joints begin to ache with numbness.

A person may be in pain due to the presence of a benign tumor - atheroma. It is caused by one lump near the ear, or rather, behind it. This fact occurs due to the growth of the lymph node and, at the time of palpation, resembles a moving ball with a dense structure.

In most cases, the formation does not pose a threat, but at the same time it can become inflamed, painful and fester.

This effect is demonstrated by intense long-term pain near the ear, deterioration of the patient’s general condition - fever and headache.

Basically, the skin near the lymph node becomes red and, in the absence of adequate treatment, the infection from the pus can spread throughout the body, causing blood poisoning.

When a patient experiences unpleasant sensations in a lump, otitis media is often diagnosed - a process of inflammation of the outer or inner ear. In this case, there is a need to see an otolaryngologist.

Pain while chewing

When your jaw begins to hurt when chewing or opening your mouth, you need to think about the possibility of jaw dislocation or the presence of a disease such as osteomyelitis.

Other ailments with similar symptoms include:

Periodontitis.
Caries accompanied by inflammation of the nerve ending.
Pulp damage.

As a rule, a person begins to experience a throbbing jaw ache with an increase in sensations at night.

Methods for solving the problem

When the true cause of pain in the jaw near the ear on the right or left side is established, the doctor prescribes treatment appropriate to the specific case.

For example, with the identification of the following diseases and the effect of certain factors:

Cyst, periodontitis or pulpitis.
Pain from wearing leveling braces.
Problematic wisdom tooth.
Pain resulting from wearing dentures.

When a cyst, periodontitis or pulpitis is diagnosed, the necessary surgical intervention is performed. Several days after the operation, during which source of pain eliminated, and the discomfort should completely disappear simultaneously with the healing of the surgical wound.

Pain in the jaw and ear that occurs from wearing leveling braces is considered normal until a certain time, because correcting the bite should be accompanied by pain in the jaw and near the ear. In this case, the dentist can only slightly loosen or tighten the locks and prescribe painkillers to relieve the symptom.

The patient has to wait until the alignment process is completely completed.

In a situation in which a wisdom tooth has moved to the side or inward as it grows, it is customary to remove it. And if this is not done, then in the future it will constrain the adjacent teeth and injure soft tissue, which will lead to increased pain.

The removal operation is performed under local anesthesia. After its implementation, as a rule, there are no complications if you follow the doctor’s recommendations.

In cases where the jaw and the area near the ear begins to hurt due to wearing dentures, the doctor makes the required adjustment. You should not endure the pain, because in any case it is important to visit the dentist from time to time for examination and appropriate therapy.

The facial skeleton consists of the upper and lower jaw. The first anatomically consists of two bones with four processes and a body with an air sinus. The lower jaw is unpaired; the temporomandibular joint (hereinafter referred to as the TMJ) is “responsible” for its mobility. Muscles and teeth attached to the facial skeleton are responsible for chewing food, pronouncing sounds, providing facial expressions, etc.

Some people have jaw pain when opening their mouth, and discomfort can also occur when pressing on the bones on one side or both at the same time. Such symptoms indicate various dental and other problems - from jaw fractures and TMJ dysfunction to vascular and heart diseases. Pain in the jaw when opening the mouth is an alarming signal indicating the need to visit a doctor.

Causes

There are several groups of etiological factors in the development of pain.

Dental problems

So, if it is painful for a person to open his mouth, this may indicate damage to the integrity of the bone tissue of the lower jaw. Fights, sports, accidents - these are situations in which you can get injured. The list of the most common ones includes:

dislocations;
bruises;
fractures.

It is not difficult to dislocate the mandibular joint - all you need to do is make a sudden, inaccurate movement (for example, open your mouth too wide). When a dislocation occurs, the head of the TMJ “leaves” its place in the articular fossa - as a result, the “victim” of the injury experiences severe pain in the jaw, the mouth does not open completely, the facial muscles become numb, local swelling occurs, and speech becomes slurred.

Bruises - soft tissue injuries - lead not only to jaw pain, but also to the appearance of hematomas, swelling, hyperemia of the affected area, asymmetry of the facial muscles

Important! A dislocation can be determined visually because the jaw is shifted to the right or left side and the face is asymmetrical.

Pain in the jaw joint can be caused not only by bone damage, but also by soft tissue bruises. So, in the place where the main blow occurred, a hematoma and swelling appear, the patient cannot open his mouth, and discomfort occurs when chewing. It is noteworthy that, as a rule, the consequences of a bruise go away on their own - after 4-5 days, the unpleasant sensations disappear.

The fact that the mouth does not open, pain appears in the jaw on the left or right, a ache is felt in the teeth, the face becomes asymmetrical - all this may indicate a fracture. Treating such an injury is not easy - restoring damaged bone tissue takes time and effort.

Discomfort when opening the mouth also occurs with many dental problems. First of all, we are talking about inflammation that affects the soft tissues of the oral cavity. The causative agents of inflammation can be bacteria, viruses and fungi. Often the course of a particular dental disease is accompanied by the appearance of purulent formations.

Thus, the most common pathologies of a purulent nature are:

Boils. An abscess is formed when an infection enters a hair follicle (usually through a wound on the skin). Gradually, local inflammation spreads to deeper soft tissues, they fester, and pain may occur in the jaw due to compression of the nerve endings.
Osteomyelitis. A complication of periodontitis, purulent dental cysts, develops when bacteria from the oral cavity enter directly into the bone tissue during injuries (burns). The list of classic signs of osteomyelitis includes: pain in the jaw when you open your mouth wide, hyperthermia, fever, swelling of the face, enlarged submandibular lymph nodes, headaches and toothaches.
Cellulitis, abscesses. Inflammatory processes, the course of which is accompanied by the formation of a large amount of pus, swelling, sharp pain when chewing, opening the mouth and any other functional load on the jaw. With an abscess, a closed inflammation forms, with phlegmon, the focus is blurred. The main complication of such ulcers is the high risk of self-resolution with subsequent blood poisoning.

Important! General symptoms such as elevated body temperature, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and jaw pain should alert a person and prompt immediate medical attention.

TMJ dysfunction is a common cause of pain and jaw crunching when opening the mouth.

When the dentist has poorly secured the bite correction structure or performed poor-quality prosthetics, patients may also experience discomfort in the upper and lower jaw. The classic “provocateurs” of pain are braces - after their installation, most people experience discomfort not only when chewing, moving facial muscles, during a conversation, but even in a calm state.

By the way, such discomfort is a completely normal phenomenon, which, as a rule, disappears after the bone and soft tissues adapt to the constant wearing of the bite-correcting structure. Other causes of jaw pain of odontogenic origin:

caries;
pulpitis with damage to the nerve of the tooth;
periodontitis (inflammation of periodontal tissues);
dental injuries (chips, neck fractures);
gingivitis (inflammation of the gums);
alveolitis (an inflammatory process affecting the alveolar process that develops after tooth extraction).

If the mouth does not open completely, there is pain when chewing, the face is swollen - all this may indicate the appearance of benign or malignant neoplasms. In the early stages, such pathological processes are “silent”, so patients seek help from a doctor only when the abnormal process is quite advanced.

The list of the most common benign formations that cause pain and discomfort in the jaw area includes: osteomas, adamantiomas, osteoblatoclastomas. Dangerous malignant pathologies include: sarcomas (affect connective tissue), osteogenic origin - affecting bones, various types of cancer (localized in the epithelium).

Fluxes, abscesses, phlegmons and other purulent-inflammatory formations are also included in the list of “provocateurs” of jaw pain

It is noteworthy that malignant neoplasms are most often localized on the lower jaw (on the left or right side). Timely diagnosis of such pathologies allows you to take the necessary therapeutic measures and avoid the spread of metastases to other organs.

Arthritis, arthrosis of the TMJ are diseases that lead to pain in the lower jaw when opening the mouth (or while chewing), as well as in a calm state. In this case, the discomfort is “tied” to the lesion itself and is localized closer to the auricle. The pain can radiate to the neck, upper jaw, or eye sockets.

X-ray is a diagnostic measure that allows you to timely detect inflammation (signs of dysfunction) of the TMJ on the right or left and select the appropriate treatment. If nothing is done, arthrosis and arthritis in this area can lead to complete immobilization of the jaw (a person simply will not be able to open his mouth).

Non-dental diseases

Neuralgia and bruxism are the most common causes of jaw pain. In the first case, the trigeminal, superior laryngeal, and glossopharyngeal nerves are affected (pinched). The course of the disease is accompanied by increased pain when chewing and swallowing food, profuse salivation, pain when yawning, and movement of facial muscles.

Involuntary closing of the jaw and grinding of teeth (bruxism) cause frequent stress and other forms of nervous disorders; most often, people who have an abnormal bite suffer from this problem. Relaxing exercises and massage help to cope with the unpleasant symptoms of bruxism, which include pain in the jaw, and special day and night splints are designed to protect teeth from mechanical damage.

Various types of migraine pain radiate to the ear, eye sockets, upper and lower jaw

Important! Myocardial infarction also causes severe pain in the jaw.

The list of other signs of this serious pathology leading to necrosis of the heart muscle includes acute squeezing pain in the left side of the chest, which lasts for 15–20 minutes and does not go away even after taking painkillers, as well as shortness of breath and increased sweating.

An attack of angina (spasm of the coronary arteries) is another “provocateur” of discomfort in the jaw area. The appearance of symptoms indicating a cardiac disorder is a reason to seek medical help.

Other factors

Why does my jaw still hurt?

Tetanus. Additional signs: convulsions, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). The patient requires immediate medical attention (administration of antitetanus serum).
Carotidynia (a type of migraine). Symptoms: attacks of pain, the duration of which varies from a few minutes to 2-3 hours. Unpleasant sensations are localized in the lower jaw and radiate to the ears and eye sockets.
Red ear syndrome. Accompanies the course of spondylosis and damage to the pituitary gland.

Jaw pain in children often occurs due to mumps, as well as a violation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism in the body.

Solution

The tactics to combat jaw pain depend on the cause of its occurrence. So, cold compresses are applied to the site of bruises, dislocations are reduced, and if necessary (for example, in case of a comminuted fracture), surgical intervention is performed. For purulent-inflammatory processes, patients are prescribed antibiotic therapy; the abscess itself is opened, the contents are removed, and drainage is installed.

In case of myocardial infarction and other severe cardiovascular pathologies, the patient is hospitalized, thrombolytics, drugs that normalize blood pressure, analgesics, and blood thinning medications are prescribed. Painkillers and antidepressants can help relieve symptoms of carotidynia.

Timely treatment of caries, pulpitis, gingivitis and other dental diseases is the best prevention of pain in the jaw area

In case of dental problems, the doctor sanitizes the oral cavity, eliminates foci of inflammation, and treats “damaged” teeth. If neoplasms (benign or malignant) are detected, the patient undergoes surgery and is prescribed a course of radiation and chemotherapy.

As you can see, jaw pain is a polyetiological problem (occurs for various reasons), requiring qualified diagnosis and correct treatment. That is why, if the corresponding symptoms occur, it is recommended not to delay going to the doctor.

Pain in the jaw when opening the mouth can bring significant discomfort to a person’s life, making it difficult to eat and speak. This symptom may indicate the presence of diseases, so to eliminate the pain you need to go to a medical facility. The type of disease may require consultation with a dentist, surgeon, neurologist and other specialists. The examination will determine the pathology and prescribe treatment.

The facial skeleton includes the upper and lower jaws. The upper one is paired - it consists of two bones, has four processes and a body containing an air sinus inside. The lower jaw is unpaired; its mobility is ensured by the temporomandibular joint.

Teeth and muscles, which are attached to the surface of bone tissue, are involved in chewing food and pronouncing sounds.

Jaw movements are carried out using the temporomandibular joint. Some diseases lead to the appearance of pain in it, a characteristic click when opening the mouth. Sometimes pain occurs when pressing on the jaw and is felt on one side or both at the same time.

Pain may be due to bone damage or joint disease. In some cases, for example, with cardiac pathologies, it can radiate to the jaw, resulting from disturbances in the functioning of other organs.

Intense pain is observed when the jaw bones are fractured or the joint is damaged. In such cases, the patient cannot even open his mouth.

If such symptoms appear, you should immediately seek medical help to avoid serious complications and deterioration of your health.

Factors contributing to jaw pain

All causes of pain in the jaw are divided into several main groups. When diagnosing a disease, the clinical picture is taken into account. Treatment at an early stage of the disease greatly contributes to the success of its treatment.

Tissue damage due to trauma

Diseases leading to tissue inflammation and pus formation

Such pathologies include the predominant part of dental diseases. An infection, often bacterial, less often viral or fungal, takes part in the development of the inflammatory process in the oral cavity. Common purulent diseases are:

Boils. The disease occurs as a result of infection entering the hair follicle located in the skin through damaged skin. The inflammation gradually spreads to the deeper soft tissues, pus forms in them, which causes pain due to compression of the nerve endings.
Osteomyelitis. The disease is very dangerous and requires mandatory treatment, since inflammation affects not only soft tissues, but also bones, including bone marrow. The cause of the disease odontogenic osteomyelitis is the penetration of infection from teeth affected by periodontitis, purulent cysts in the area of the tooth roots. The hematogenous form of the disease develops when pathogens are carried through the bloodstream. Symptoms of osteomyelitis: jaw pain, increased body temperature, chills, enlarged lymph nodes, the face swells, takes on an asymmetrical shape, and headache and toothache may occur.
Abscesses and phlegmons. Both types of inflammatory processes are accompanied by tissue swelling, the formation of a large amount of pus, and severe pain. If they appear, you should immediately seek medical help. With an abscess, the focus of inflammation is closed, with phlegmon - diffuse. There is a danger of its spreading to new areas with the appearance of life-threatening complications. The patient's body temperature rises, his jaw hurts when opening his mouth, and it is difficult for him to chew and swallow. There is general weakness, headache, and possible tissue necrosis at the site of inflammation.

Installation of dentures and braces

Patients may experience some discomfort after installing crowns and bridges, or when wearing braces. Usually this soreness is temporary and is considered normal. The jaw may also hurt if there are disturbances in its structure, leading to the formation of a malocclusion. There are methods to correct it and eliminate pain.

Neoplasms

Pain in the jaw when chewing can occur from the formation of a tumor. Since the symptoms at the initial stage of the disease are mild, patients often seek help at later stages of the disease. Benign neoplasms include adamantium, osteoma, and osteoblastoclastoma. Malignant tumors are divided into the following groups:

sarcomas formed from connective tissue;
cancers - develop from epithelial tissue;
osteogenic sarcomas - originate from bone tissue and usually affect a specific type of bone.

Malignant neoplasms most often occur in the lower jaw. These types of tumors pose a particular danger to life and health, characterized by rapid growth and spread of metastases to other organs.

To diagnose diseases, radiography, computed tomography, and morphological studies of tissue samples are used.

Diseases near the auricle

There are a number of diseases in which the jaw may hurt in areas bordering the ear. Often this symptom occurs with arthritis - an inflammatory process in the jaw joint, the intensity of pain in which increases at night. Arthrosis - pain is caused by age-related changes and increases with physical activity, subsiding at rest.

Diagnosis of the disease is carried out using radiographic examination. Timely treatment can avoid immobilization of the jaw.

Neurological causes of jaw discomfort include neuralgia and bruxism. The first disease manifests itself when one of the nerves providing innervation to the face is pinched - trigeminal, superior laryngeal or glossopharyngeal. The pathology is accompanied by sharp pain, the intensity of which increases when eating food, increased salivation, and unpleasant sensations are also noted when blowing the nose and yawning. It is necessary to begin treatment at the initial stage of the disease to prevent the situation from worsening due to irreversible changes in tissues.

Bruxism is a disease in which involuntary clenching of the jaws and grinding of teeth occurs. It is usually caused by stress or nervous system disorders and is often found in people with malocclusion. Periodically repeated attacks lead to abrasion of dental dentin, inflammatory processes in tissues, changes in joints, causing pain. Relieving nervous tension through relaxation exercises and massage can reduce the frequency and severity of bruxism symptoms. Special day and night splints will help protect your teeth and joints.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

Pain in the lower jaw and neck may occur during acute myocardial infarction. This is a life-threatening condition that causes necrosis of the heart muscle. The main causes of the disease are spasm of the vessels supplying the heart with blood, closure of their lumen with atherosclerotic plaques or a blood clot. The following symptoms indicate the development of a heart attack:

pain in the chest area lasting more than 15 minutes, which does not go away even when taking nitroglycerin and painkillers;
the patient has difficulty breathing;
sweating increases.

Irradiation of heart pain from the sternum to the jaw sometimes occurs during attacks of angina pectoris - spasm of the coronary arteries, leading to insufficient oxygen supply to the heart muscle.

If symptoms of cardiac dysfunction appear, immediate medical attention is required.

Severe pain in the jaw near the ear, wings of the nose, or extending into the eye socket is characteristic of arteritis - inflammation of the walls of the arteries. When large vessels are affected, pain can be observed over a large area of the face and neck.

Additional causes of jaw pain

Pain sometimes occurs for a number of other reasons. Doctors will help you understand their origin. Rarely encountered causes of pain include:

Tetanus - a disease accompanied by muscle cramps and difficulty swallowing. If symptoms of pathology appear, you must immediately contact a medical facility. Antitetanus serum is used to treat the disease.
Carotidynia is a type of migraine. Pain occurs during attacks, the duration of which can reach 1 hour. They spread to the lower jaw, ear area, and eye sockets.
Red ear syndrome - usually develops with damage to the thalamus, cervical spondylosis.
In children, pain in the jaw occurs due to mumps (mumps) and disturbances in the metabolism of phosphorus and calcium in the body.

Treatment

Therapeutic tactics depend on the type of disease and are aimed at eliminating the cause of the pathology and relieving pain. Cold compresses are used to treat bruises, dislocations are reduced, and surgical intervention may be required to align bone fragments in fractures.

In case of purulent diseases, abscesses are opened to remove the pus, and a course of antibiotic therapy is prescribed. Painkillers and antidepressants are used to relieve the symptoms of carotidynia.

In case of myocardial infarction, urgent hospitalization of the patient is necessary with the prescription of thrombolytics, drugs that normalize blood pressure, prevent blood clotting, and narcotic analgesics.

In case of inflammation in teeth and periodontium, oral cavity sanitation is carried out.

For neoplasms, surgical or combined treatment is used, supplemented by chemotherapy and radiation therapy.