Those who have experienced it classify toothache as the mother of all pain. Add face and jaw pain to the mixture and it becomes an unbearable torture that can be lethal. Here’s why and how to prevent it…

Those pearly whites

Your teeth can last a pain-free lifetime if you look after them properly. However, it all starts in your mouth – the gateway to the rest of your body – which is unfortunately filled with bacteria. It is this culprit and its henchman, namely plaque – a colourless, sticky, substance – that is responsible for most of the oral and dental problems that cause tooth and jaw aches and pains. These two unsavoury characters have also been linked to other more serious problems, such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Fortunately, most of the dental conditions and the pain associated with them are preventable when you understand what the causes are and how to treat them.

Causes

Jaw and tooth aches may be the result of:

    • Dental cavities, caused by a build-up of bacteria-laden plaque on the surface of the tooth. Plaque, when not removed, produces acids that are able to eat a hole right through tooth enamel and eventually harden into tartar that slowly dissolves the bone surrounding the tooth.
    • Dental abscesses, caused by the bacteria in large, untreated dental cavities that expose, infect and injure the inner pulp of the tooth where the nerves an blood vessels are.
    • Gum disease, caused by the build-up of bacterial plaque, starts off as gingivitis – painless, swollen, bleeding gums and bad breath – before advancing to periodontitis, which is advanced gum disease with painful, gum infections, swelling, pain and the loss of bone around the teeth.
    • Exposed tooth roots, caused by gum disease, irregular tooth positioning or aggressive tooth brushing, leaves the tooth exposed and sensitive to hot, cold or acidic food and drink.
    • Tooth fractures/cracks, caused by chewing or biting on hard objects.
    • Erupting or impacted teeth cause pressure on other teeth, the surrounding gums and bone.
    • Temporo mandibular joint (TMJ) or jaw joint disorders, caused by clenching or grinding the teeth, injury to the joint, arthritis in the joint, teeth that do not fit together and muscle spasms or tension around the joint.

Non-dental causes of tooth and jaw aches and pains:

    • Heart disease/heart attacks often cause pain to radiate from the chest up and into the lower jaw area
    • Ear infections and diseases may cause diverted pain in the teeth and jaw area
    • Sinus infections and diseases may cause pain in the upper teeth and jaw area.

Preventative treatment options

The most important treatment option for healthy, pain-free teeth and gums is meticulous oral hygiene to prevent the build-up of plaque. This can be done by regular brushing and flossing of the teeth. It takes about 24 hours for plaque and the acid it produces to start harming your teeth if not removed and about two days to harden into tartar. Regular brushing (not scrubbing) will clean about 60% of the tooth surface and flossing hopefully the rest. Other ways to keep plaque at bay is to use fluoride toothpaste, rinse with an anti-plaque mouthwash, eat crunchy foods such as apples, carrots and other raw vegetables that naturally clean the teeth or chew sugarless gum to dislodge food particles. Don’t overdo the latter or you may end up with jaw pain.

Regular check-ups by your dentist are a must and will also offer an opportunity to fill small cavities before they become big abscesses. Your dentist will also be able to spot the onset of gum diseases and will be able to clean your teeth and remove plaque and tartar from exposed teeth roots. Topical fluoride gels and other bonding agents may be applied to seal these sensitive areas. Cracked or fractured teeth may need root canal treatment and be covered with a crown. Impacted teeth such as wisdom teeth can cause a lot of pain and may have to be surgically removed. Jaw aches and pains are usually treated with hot and cold packs, massage, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxation techniques, and medicines, dental appliances and sometimes surgery.

Prevention hinges on both your and your dentist’s input. Don’t let plaque rob you of your smile: team up with your dentist and put it in its place!

 

Sources
Bautista D. 2013.Toothache. Retrieved from: http://www.onhealth.com/toothache/article.htm
Stoppler, MC. Jaw pain. Retrieved from: http://www.medecinenet.com/jaw pain/symptoms.htm
Weinrauch, L. 2008. Jaw pain could be sign of serious heart condition. Retrieved from: http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/77/34816/heart-condition/