Are you tired of living with jaw pain every day? Your dentist or Raleigh Facial Pain Center can provide you some relief by sharing some of our proven home remedies for jaw pain. We hope that combination of these simple suggestions works to provide a pain-free life.
- Avoid chewing gum. Chewing gum will only increase your facial pain since jaw muscles tense when they chew. We also recommend that you avoid chewing on ice or eating hard foods. It may be necessary for you to incorporate softer foods into your diet, such as soup or yogurt.
- Heat or cold compresses. Placing a hot, damp cloth against your jaw until it cools helps increase blood flow and relieve pain. On the other hand, cold packs can numb the pain and provide temporary relief.
- Massage your jaw. To get rid of the pain in your jaw, you have to release your jaw muscles to free up the ones that have tightened up. Apply gentle pressure to the areas below your ears and that are most tender. Exercise your jaw muscles by carefully opening and closing your mouth without allowing the top and bottom jaws to connect.
- Over-the-counter solutions may provide some relief. Aspirin or ibuprofen will not solve the root of the problem, but they will provide pain relief and reduce inflammation.
- Relax. Focus on your breathing. You may need to try different techniques to relax such as mindfulness, yoga or walking to break up your routine. Alternatively, find activities that help your mind and body reduce stress and tension.
- Wear a biteguard or hybrid (soft/hard). If you experience pain in your jaw after you wake up, then you may be clenching or grinding your teeth in your sleep. Clenching or grinding your teeth can lead to the breaking down of your teeth enamel causing toothaches, tension headaches and earaches.
More Serious Jaw Pain Care
Frequent moderate pain, Restrictive opening, or bite changes/asymmetry are indicative of moderate damage to Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD). An urgent referral to Orofacial Pain Specialist is warranted instead of a trial of conservative therapy or even trial muscle relaxants/antiinflammatories. Orofacial Pain Specialist and the chewing system orthopedic team provides a combination of dental and medical services that other doctors simply can’t or don’t offer. The care of your chewing system should only be trusted to highly trained chewing system orthopedic team.
If you are experiencing ongoing moderate jaw pain, restricted opening, Tension Headaches, Pediatric Headache, Sudden Bite Changes and want relief, please call our office and speak to Phyllis or Amy. Dr. Yount is the only residency trained, board-certified, private practice Orofacial Pain Specialist in Raleigh. Reach out to us by phone at (919) 781-6600 or contact us online for more information or to make an appointment.
