Who could blame you?
Then theres the fact that sometimes your jaw might hurt when youre not even actively using it.
Below, find out the most common causes of jaw pain and what to do about them.
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You grind or clench your teeth.
If you do theres a pretty good chance its because yourestressed out.
This basically means they use their mouth or teeth in ways beyond their intended functions, like chewing food.
Grinding your teethalso known as bruxismis a classic parafunctional habit.
This can leave you in serious pain, not only jaw pain but also sometimesheadachesand earaches.
Sleep bruxism, on the other hand, can be harder to quell.
They may also have tips on how to deal with stress that could be behind your bruxism.
You have a TMJ disorder.
The scientific jury is still out on what causes TMJ disorders.
Luckily, the pain is typically temporary or at least doesnt get worse, according to the NIDCR.
Somethings wrong with your bite.
Doctors can usually fix this with braces, but in extreme cases, surgery may be necessary.
Youre dealing with an untreated cavity.
Boom, now youve got acavity.
You have an impacted wisdom tooth.
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars people usually develop in their late teens and early 20s.
But if you do get wisdom teeth, youll typically develop two on top and two on bottom.
If theyre definitely impacted, theyll remove them surgically.
Learn more about what you could expect before, during, and after that procedurehere.
If youre dealing with jaw pain, head to the doctor.
The main course of action is applying heat or cold to your jaw when pain is flaring.
Popping an anti-inflammatory medicine likeibuprofencan help too.
That means if youre a chronic gum-chewer, it might be time to kick the habit.
The same goes for eating big chunks of food or food that is especially tough to chew.
Especially considering how stressful the world is right now in general.
Deep breathing and othergrounding techniquescan help relax your muscles in the moment.
Other tools likemeditationandcognitive behavioral techniquesfor anxiety might also serve you well.
