Jaw pain can sometimes have us confused with its many other symptoms, like headaches, ringing or pain in the ears, tooth pain, and neck and shoulder pain. Serious jaw pain can stem from a problem called TMJ or TMD which often comes from clenching or grinding our teeth in our sleep or even while we are awake. Sometimes this is caused by stress in our lives, and sometimes it is out of our control.
If you are experiencing this type of pain, it is important to visit the dentist to determine a course of treatment. Dr. Hakimzadeh in Phoenix, Arizona is able to examine patients with an understanding hand as this can be a painful disorder. A thorough examination can determine the cause of your pain so that you receive the proper care.
What to do at home
If you are not able to make an appointment right away, try a hot or cold pack on the area for five to ten minutes a few times a day to alleviate some of the pain. Make sure that you do not chew gum or chew too much when eating as this can aggravate the jaw and make it much worse. Cut your food into smaller pieces and try to eat soft foods as much as possible. This will also help because people with TMJ or TMD have trouble opening their mouths very wide due to the pain is causes. The jaw often makes noise when people with this disorder open and close the mouth or move their jaw.
Treatment
If you make an appointment with Dr. Hakimzadeh in Phoenix, Arizona for this type of jaw pain, he will be able to help you to understand how to care for yourself to avoid further problems and will likely make a bite plate to keep you from grinding your teeth while you sleep. This is not painful at all and does not take long. In some cases people need medication, but this does not have to be part of a permanent solution.
Seeing the dentist is important!
People who grind their teeth stand a chance of wearing down their teeth or breaking them, causing further problems. You also want to be careful taking too many over the counter pain pills because of the damage that they cause to our bodies when overused. The dentist may also suggest jaw exercises to strengthen the muscles in the jaw to naturally relive the pain over time.

If you are having trouble with chronic jaw pain, contact Dr. Hakimzadeh in Phoenix, Arizona to set up an appointment. Don’t wait until your teeth are suffering from the clenching and grinding because this can cause serious damage that is costly to fix.