If your jaw hurts when you open your mouth, you should immediately contact your dentist, neurologist or surgeon. Only experienced specialists after a personal examination will tell you why this phenomenon bothers you. But if you cannot visit the hospital in the near future, then below we will present some of the most probable reasons why the jaw hurts, and how to eliminate unpleasant sensations.
Fracture
A serious jaw fracture can occur in a fight if the fatal blow hit the face, as well as during an accident, accident, etc. In such situations, a person feels severe pain, difficulty or inability to chew, swelling, bruising and bruising.
Jaw osteomyelitis
Another reason why the jaw hurts when opening the mouth may well be an infectious inflammation of the bone tissue. Currently, doctors distinguish 2 types of osteomyelitis:
- odontogenic;
- hematogenous.
It is the first form that occurs as a result of infection, which enters and affects the “gingival” pocket. Staphylococci, streptococci and various anaerobic bacteria can be quite serious pathogens of such inflammation . The main symptoms of this disease include persistent headaches , throbbing pains in the jaw, teeth and their staggering, as well as body temperature reaching 40 degrees.
Oral diseases
Such diseases, due to which the jaw hurts when opening the mouth, include pulp damage, caries with inflammation of the nerve and periodontium. The main symptoms of these diseases are pulsating pains in the jaw (at night much stronger than during the day), numbness of the lower lip, a significant decrease in the tone of the masticatory muscles.
Arteritis of the facial artery
This disease is characterized by damage to an artery located in the jaw. Symptoms of this deviation are a strong burning sensation that spreads from the chin to the lips and nose.
Disorders in the functions of the temporomandibular joint
This deviation can be preceded by both an incorrect congenital bite and an inflammatory process in this area of the face. Among other things, the reasons that the jaw hurts when opening the mouth can be:
- cranial neuralgia;
- glossopharyngeal neuralgia;
- laryngeal nerve (superior) neuralgia;
- ear node neuralgia;
- carotidinia (a special type of migraine);
- osteogenic sarcoma (or malignant tumor).
What to do if the jaw hurts?
To determine why such a phenomenon began to bother you, you must personally visit a specialist. And only after the diagnosis you will be assigned a course of treatment, as well as physiotherapy. But if in the coming days you cannot get to the hospital, then you should adhere to the recommendations described below, which will ensure complete peace for your mandibular joint:
- Try not to open your mouth too wide. In this case, food should be taken with a dessert spoon. Food should be a porridge-like consistency.
- Try to refrain from yawning.
- Limit yourself only to the chewing movements that are necessary for eating.