Why Does My Jaw Hurt? Common Causes & Treatment Options

How jaw pain feels can differ, and the sensation can also depend on the cause. Types of pain that can arise in the jaw include tenderness, aching, and feeling an electric shock-like pain radiating through one side of the face through the jaw.

There are many causes of jaw pain, ranging from mild to severe, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, dental abscesses, heart disease, and heart attacks.  

What’s Causing Your Jaw Pain?

There are several common causes of jaw pain, all requiring different therapy interventions. They include:

• Tempormandibluar joint disorder (TMD)
• Bruxism (tooth grinding and/or clenching)
• Dental issues, including gum disease, tooth abscesses, a cracked tooth, or a cavity
• Infections of the head and neck
• Injuries to the face or jaw
• Temporal arteritis (an autoimmune disease causing inflammation of the blood vessels)
• Cluster headaches

Other conditions can cause jaw pain to develop. These can include:

• Heart disease or heart attacks
• Autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s disease, and lupus
• Trigeminal neuralgia, which affects how you experience facial sensations due to issues with the trigeminal nerve
• Loss of blood supply to the jaw bone, known as osteonecrosis of the jaw
• Certain types of cancer, including oral cancer

Accompanying Symptoms

Depending on the cause, jaw pain can be accompanied by other symptoms. including:

• Difficulty opening the mouth or chewing
• Feeling or hearing a clicking, popping, or grinding sound when moving the jaw
• Pain in the head, neck, ears, eyes, or teeth
• Feeling like the jaw is out of position or stuck in an odd position
• Uneven bite

How Jaw Pain Is Diagnosed

To diagnose the cause of jaw pain, a healthcare provider will collect a medical and lifestyle history and ask questions about the type of pain you are experiencing and any accompanying symptoms. They will also conduct a physical exam to check for clicking or popping sounds or misaligned teeth, which could indicate structural changes within the jaw.

Imaging tests typically help diagnose the condition, but they are only done if a definitive diagnosis can’t be reached through physical examinations alone. Types of imaging used to diagnose jaw pain include:

Medical Treatment Options

The medical treatment options for jaw pain will depend on the cause. Dental treatments may include addressing gum disease, filling a cavity, or draining a tooth abscess.

If TMD is causing your jaw pain, your healthcare provider may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and inflammation. Other medications that can help TMD include:

• Antidepressants
• Anticonvulsants
• Muscle relaxers

TMD may also require surgical procedures to improve the health of the joint and reduce jaw pain.

The other causes and their potential treatments include:

• Treating an infection with antibiotics
• Healing an injury
• Using chemotherapy or radiation for cancer
• Surgery to remove any abnormal growths or tumors or to correct issues within the jaw
• Medications geared toward specific diseases, including heart disease, autoimmune disease, and osteonecrosis
• Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) to prevent you from tensing your jaw muscles

Tips for Immediate Relief

You can try at-home care techniques when looking for immediate relief from jaw pain. They can include:

• Apply a warm, damp washcloth or ice pack to the area.
• Take a provider-recommended over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever.
• Massage the jaw joint.
• Practice stress-reduction techniques, such as meditation.
• Try jaw exercises.
• Avoid activities that require you to forcefully move your jaw, such as yelling, yawning, eating large bites of food, eating crunchy or hard foods, and chewing gum.
• Stop participating in bad habits that worsen the pain, such as nail biting, chewing on the lips or cheeks, or clenching or grinding your teeth.

How to Prevent Pain During Recovery

Some steps you can take to prevent jaw pain from worsening include:

• Avoid activities that require you to move your jaw.
• Stop participating in bad habits that worsen the pain. (yawning, eating crunchy or hard foods, chewing gum, etc).
• Avoid caffeine.
• Use a mouthguard that has been specifically fitted to you.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Other symptoms alongside jaw pain that should warrant a visit to your healthcare provider include:

• Severe pain
• New pain
• Pain in the chest

Summary

Jaw pain can be difficult to cope with. Typically, jaw pain can be attributed to conditions such as TMD, but in some cases, it could be a warning sign of a heart attack. Knowing what’s driving it makes you better equipped to seek proper care. You should see your healthcare provider if the pain is severe and worsens over time or you hear noises when you move your jaw, such as popping, clicking, or locking.