Sorry not a horsey post! But does anyone suffer from jaw problems?

[Umbongo]

Hello!

Sorry for the non horsey post, hope TFC keeps it up

The past few weeks I have been waking up to not being able to open my mouth!
Throughout the day it gets easier, but clicks when I chew and yawn etc.

I have been getting used to it, some days I don't notice it much. However the past few days my jaw is CONSTANTLY aching and becoming quite unbearable, and this morning I couldn't open my mouth and started to panic!

Well I went to the doctors and she suggested booking an appointment with my dentist to get a special mouth guard to sleep in (OH says I clench and grind my teeth in my sleep). And to maybe see a chiropractor or a physio if this doesn't help.

Can't get a dentist appointment until next week, so wondering if anyone else suffers from the same and what do you do to dull the aching!! Ibuprofen/paracetamol aren't having much of an effect Does anyone else suffer from this and do you find mouth guards to help at all?

She has suggested finding the route of my stress should be no.1, well that's easy...been trying to find a job since I graduated in June!!! That and I have no heating in my house

Mince pies and double cream for you all

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Mmmm, I'd be inclined to see what dentist says. It could be that during the night when your'e asleep, you are clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth - this is very common and often results in jaw problems.

Or it could be wisdom teeth?

Or there is something called TMJ (think it stands for Tempero-Mandible-Jaw) syndrome; sorry not sure if I've spelt it right, or if that is the correct terminology, but its nothing serious so don't worry, it just means in effect that you've got an achey jaw.

I'd wait and see what your dentist suggests. IF you are grinding teeth at night, there's a rubber thing you can put in your mouth I think.

 

[Gluttonforpunishment]

Yup I do the clenching and grinding in my sleep thing too. My jaw cracked alarminly whenever I yawned / ate etc. Did a weird popping too almost like it was dislocating - very, very painful.

Dentist made me a mouth guard (£50) to wear at night as as when necessary. Made a huge difference within a week.

As an interim measure you can always buy an off the shelf sports gum guard - not the most comfortable but will help.

Co-codamol helped the initial pain but I'm sure you need a prescription for these.

Hope you get it sorted soon. You can also try hypnotherapy or accupuncture to deal with stress - I was soooo sceptical but really did help.



ETA - it was made worse by having my wisdom teeth removed under GA and they had to dislocate my jaw to do it.

 

[sea_view]

I have the same, it happens all the time - jaw clicks and sometimes if I yawn etc it gets stuck - it is worse in the cold weather. The dentist thinks it is a mixture of grinding my teeth profusley in my sleep when I was younger mixed with my pony crackingme in the jaw and dislodging it years ago.

I don't take any painkillers, I just get on with it, wore a splint from the dentist for ages which made no difference.

Sorry not to have a cure x

 

[Umbongo]

Yes going to see the dentist next week anyway, haven't been for a while as I am actually terrified. OH says I do grind my teeth sometimes in my sleep and he has to poke me to get me to stop.

Earlier this summer I have had 2 wisdom teeth poke through, wasn't sure if this could actually prevent my mouth from opening though, especially as my sore jaw has only been happening the past few weeks.

Grrr

Thanks gluttonforpunishment! Doctor has suggested a chiropractor as she reckons my jaw also isn't aligned properly hence the clicking.

It's so painful...I was panicking I had lockjaw!!!

 

[Umbongo]

ETA - it was made worse by having my wisdom teeth removed under GA and they had to dislocate my jaw to do it.

!!!!!!!

For someone who is actually terrified of dentists this is not good news!!!!
I am hoping my dentist may let me keep them in if they are not causing the problem.

 

[Gluttonforpunishment]

lol - my doctor suggested the chiropractor too - dentist thought this was hugely amusing, told me to try the mouth guard for a month and then decide if I needed to see the chiropractor...........so far I haven't!

I only had to have my wisdom teeth out because I had had braces as a teenager and they hadn't got room to come through. Essentially they dislocated my jaw and dug them out of my gums and then stitched me back up, hence the general anesthetic.

Don't worry - if they aren't causing you any bother they'll leave them alone.

 

[Umbongo]

*bumpity bump*

 

[Ted's mum]

I got the clicky noises when eating/yawning etc, its called TMJ
look it up on google.

 

[Umbongo]

I got the clicky noises when eating/yawning etc, its called TMJ
look it up on google.

Yup have done, and doctor printed off some info for me.

Just wanted to know who else suffers from this and how they cope with it etc. Think I have it pretty bad, not just clicking etc. In the morning I can't open my mouth enough to fit a kitkat in there!!

 

[jendie]

This used to happen to me. My doctor advised me to see a dentist who confirmed it was caused by my temperomandibular joints. In my case my teeth were crowded, and this was being made worse by wisdom teeth that wanted to come through. I had the wisdom teeth on both sides extracted and the worst problems with the jaws were cured almost immediately. The dentist advised that if the muscles around the jaw went into spasm again a muscle relaxant might help, but I've never needed this.

My jaw used to click all the time and would often get 'stuck' with my mouth either open or closed. The pain was awful. Good luck with the treatment, hope yours is as easy to cure as mine was.

 

[tallyho!]

Oh god yes!!!!!!

My jaws have been like this since like... well I go knocked off my bike aged 7.

I though it was normal.

I'm used to it now. Mind you I have considerably less teeth than I should have..

I clunk, click, grind and sometimes even say OW.

My dentist said £3000 to fix.

I said: ******* off.

 

[Boxers]

Hello!

The past few weeks I have been waking up to not being able to open my mouth!
Throughout the day it gets easier, but clicks when I chew and yawn etc.

the past few days my jaw is CONSTANTLY aching and becoming quite unbearable, and this morning I couldn't open my mouth and started to panic!

I have been through phases of this too - it's very scary when you can't open your mouth. It all started years ago when the dentist dislocated my jaw when he was doing a filling right at the back - it took him 10 mins to manipulate it back in and it's never been the same since. I have to be careful when I yawn as it often clicks and feels as if it goes off to one side.

I have had times when I could not open my mouth and times when I could barely eat because it was so painful to chew. Doctor and dentist said it could be cause by grinding my teeth, however dentist did not think that i did and OH says I don't.

I realised at one point that it had just stopped hurting and it has been ok for a few years now (apart from clicky when yawning).

SO am interested to read these replies

 

[brighthair]

mine clicks when I yawn and sometimes I have to click it to make it feel right
I sleep in a mouthguard made by the dentist (a double thickness one) which lasts me about a year before I chew through it and get a new one made!

 

[piggyinablanket]

I had this for a few years as a teenager and still get the odd twinge. For those who dont know what this is heres a great simple explanation
http://www.exodontia.info/TMJProblems.html
My problem was the actual cartilidge which (excuse the non-medical description...) not staying where it should, and slipping in the joint, which is what causes the pain, and the sticking. The pain is excruciating and the sticking scary!

The doctor prescribed ibuprofen and exercises to strengthen the muscles, very simple ones as follows.

Rest a fist under your chin. Open your mouth whilst pushing upward with gentle pressure. hold this resistance for a count of 10. relax mouth.
Rest fist on left of bottom jaw. (on the lower side of your face) push jaw over to the left against the pressure of the fist for count of 10. relax.
Repeat on right side.

I think I used to run through it twice, three or four times a day. It gradually strengthened the muscles which in turn supported the cartilidge better. Worth a go if you are suffering. Mine sorted itself out after a few months.

Sympathies, and Good luck!

 

[Katd66]

I have this - it was very scary one day I just couldnt open my mouth like my jaw was locked and it was happening several times a day.

I went to the doctor and was told to chew gum!! to strenghten the muscles up around the jaw. Jaw dislocates on one side. I was never recommended to dentist or have any mouth guard.

About 4 years on - no way near as bad - I can click it and when it does feel like it locks I can unlock it quite easily.

I wouldnt panic too much - you get used to it.

 

[pricklyflower]

I get this too, clicking jaw when eating / yawning and often gets stuck in the morning after a night's sleep or if I'm exercising (doing lots of situps!!) and it's bloomin painful. My dr also referred me to dentist who said it was due to me tensing my jaw when I slept. He said he could make me a mouth guard to sleep in but it would cost £150. At this time of year £150 is better spent on hay so I declined. Maybe in the summer....!!

 

[alainax]

I had horrific pains in my jaw, went to the physio, and its all better! Heres how.

I got kicked in the face by my horse 15 years ago, doctors coulndt believe my jaw wasnt broken. Turned out, to compensate for the pain, my body tightened up all the muscles around my jaw, and kept them this way until last year.

Last year i was in horrible pain, absolute agony. I thought it was my ear, went to the docs and they refered me to ENT who said my ear was fine so refered me to a physio for my jaw.

Turned out I couldnt open my jaw anywhere near as much as a normal person can. Apparently you should be able to fit 4 fingers in if you turn your hand on your side. I could only fit 2, now its three. Id never noticed this!

So my excerises were simple. Open and close your mouth 15 times, just to the point of it at its widest before your lips part. Wiggle your jaw from side to side 15 times as far as it will go without hurting. ( my jaw could go really far one way but not the other). Then move it back and forward for 15 times.
Repeat 3 times a day. Also do not yawn, clench or go to the dentist!


The result was amazing! Pain and clicking dissapaered!!

 

[Umbongo]

Yay, glad to hear so many people have the same problem

Will try a few of the exercises people have posted, and also see about getting the mouth guard

 

[Seahorse]

How strange, only today have I had pain in my jaw and am unable to open my mouth properly. It's not clicking or anything but very painful. Apparently TMJD is common in people with fibromyalgia (which is what I have)

 

[smac]

OMG cant believe how many people suffer from this!

I get clicking and stiffness when eating and sometimes it "locks"

I tell my osteopath when I see him and he does something that helps, but I have made a note of the exercises and Im going to give them a go

BTW had to try the four finger thing, I can just get three in- hehe

 

[steffielu]

Hello!

Sorry for the non horsey post, hope TFC keeps it up

The past few weeks I have been waking up to not being able to open my mouth!
Throughout the day it gets easier, but clicks when I chew and yawn etc.

I have been getting used to it, some days I don't notice it much. However the past few days my jaw is CONSTANTLY aching and becoming quite unbearable, and this morning I couldn't open my mouth and started to panic!

Well I went to the doctors and she suggested booking an appointment with my dentist to get a special mouth guard to sleep in (OH says I clench and grind my teeth in my sleep). And to maybe see a chiropractor or a physio if this doesn't help.

Can't get a dentist appointment until next week, so wondering if anyone else suffers from the same and what do you do to dull the aching!! Ibuprofen/paracetamol aren't having much of an effect Does anyone else suffer from this and do you find mouth guards to help at all?

She has suggested finding the route of my stress should be no.1, well that's easy...been trying to find a job since I graduated in June!!! That and I have no heating in my house

Mince pies and double cream for you all

Go and find yourself a good osteopath who uses cranial techniques. We treat loads of these problems with a good success rate!

 

[mulledwhine]

Hello!

Sorry for the non horsey post, hope TFC keeps it up

The past few weeks I have been waking up to not being able to open my mouth!
Throughout the day it gets easier, but clicks when I chew and yawn etc.

I have been getting used to it, some days I don't notice it much. However the past few days my jaw is CONSTANTLY aching and becoming quite unbearable, and this morning I couldn't open my mouth and started to panic!

Well I went to the doctors and she suggested booking an appointment with my dentist to get a special mouth guard to sleep in (OH says I clench and grind my teeth in my sleep). And to maybe see a chiropractor or a physio if this doesn't help.

Can't get a dentist appointment until next week, so wondering if anyone else suffers from the same and what do you do to dull the aching!! Ibuprofen/paracetamol aren't having much of an effect Does anyone else suffer from this and do you find mouth guards to help at all?

She has suggested finding the route of my stress should be no.1, well that's easy...been trying to find a job since I graduated in June!!! That and I have no heating in my house

Mince pies and double cream for you all

Hi hope you are ok, it sounds stess elated I had a similar thing, and had to have a bite gaurd. It is like a gum sheild, infact I got measured for one again today.

It is not pretty but really does help, what it does is stop you from grinding your jaw in your sleepXXXXX hugs a and do get it, it will help