Jaw pain and pain all over right side of face?!
Question: Ok this morning I woke up with my jaw hurting really bad. I think i have bruxism because i do grind my teeth at night and i bought a OTC nightguard but in just 4 days i chewed most of it up. Well usually I take excedrin and put a warm compress on my face, but this time it didnt work. Ive tried ibuprofen and hours and hours later, my friends dad gave me a percocet and it finally went away, somewhat. Its jaw pain that goes along my jawline and up by my ear and to my right temple..my right temple feels like i broke a nerve or something. I wont be able to see a dentist til tuesday to see if its maybe my wisdom tooth causing some trouble or if its bruxism or TMJ. Has anyone had similar exp. or any ideas to keep the pain at bay? I brush floss & gargle with listerine to keep it clean...and started taking NSAIDs like aleve or ibuprofen. I dont know ifs its swollen, but i can feel a slight diffrence compared to the left side (cant tell by lookin tho) I dont have a fever so it cant be infection?
Answers: Ok this morning I woke up with my jaw hurting really bad. I think i have bruxism because i do grind my teeth at night and i bought a OTC nightguard but in just 4 days i chewed most of it up. Well usually I take excedrin and put a warm compress on my face, but this time it didnt work. Ive tried ibuprofen and hours and hours later, my friends dad gave me a percocet and it finally went away, somewhat. Its jaw pain that goes along my jawline and up by my ear and to my right temple..my right temple feels like i broke a nerve or something. I wont be able to see a dentist til tuesday to see if its maybe my wisdom tooth causing some trouble or if its bruxism or TMJ. Has anyone had similar exp. or any ideas to keep the pain at bay? I brush floss & gargle with listerine to keep it clean...and started taking NSAIDs like aleve or ibuprofen. I dont know ifs its swollen, but i can feel a slight diffrence compared to the left side (cant tell by lookin tho) I dont have a fever so it cant be infection?
If you know you have tmj and grind your teeth severely...they say that it is better to apply ice to the area of the face, (for about 10 minutes) to reduce the swelling, and that also numbs the nerve a bit. Sometimes heat will aggrevate it because the heat brings added blood flow to the area.
The trigeminal nerve runs along the entire side of the face/jawline back to the ear and jaw joint area and as far forward as the center of the chin (there's one on each side of the face)...once that nerve is irritated...it can take a long time for it to get "normal" again. It could be that you have irritated that nerve. I had to see an endodontist a few years ago, to rule out an abscess, and he told me that my trigeminal nerve was irritated.
Anti-inflams like Advil, Motrin, etc can help reduce swelling, but it does take awhile to see some relief and often the dosage must be slightly higher than you'd take for a headache. Your dentist will advise you on this though.
Just in case you might have an abscess, it is best to keep your dental appointment so you'll know for sure.
In the meantime, try to keep your teeth separated while you're awake (make a conscious effort to check and verify that you aren't clenching or tightening up).
Try to massage gently around the front of your ear and jaw joint area and if someone can massage the back of your neck and upper shoulders, the nerves that run along that area also connect up into the jaw joint area too...so keeping it all relaxed is all you can do to get temporary relief.
Eat very soft foods, nothing you have to chew a lot (bagel, steak, hard rolls)...or tear as you bite into it (like pizza). ANY aggrevation to the jaw and/nerve will set you back.
Hope it goes away soon.
PS- abscesses that endodontists treat are typically happening underneath- where you are unable to see them.
If you have a different type of abscess, that has formed along the soft tissue of the gumline or nearby in the mouth cavity or in the upper of throat near tonsils...that is usually a different type of thing. That type of abscess will usually cause severe local pain right at the abscess itself, and often you will feel generally bad, like you are coming down with a flu, you may even have a fever with this type of mouth abscess.
The description you gave of feeling like your right temple might have broken something sounds a lot like the TM jaw joint not operating as it should, and causing you to sense it being "out"...almost as if there is a quick crackeling or shattering sensation...not to be confused with it popping or cracking if opened past the point of comfort. Let us know what your doctor says.
New on the horizon is having the TMJ treated via a few small botox injections into the muscle on your cheek. This lets the muscle that is spasming and contributing to the pain relax and give the joint the chance to rest a bit from all the tension. Some dentists don't like to mention this alternative...but it is being used as has been shown to be very helpful if your TMJ causes severe headaches or inability to open your jaw enough for comfortable eating.
This is becoming my token answer on here, but what you're describing sounds like an abscess. Basically, an abscess is an infection that causes ALOT of pain. They don't usually go away on their own, and they can get worse if you don't get care immediately. I just got treated for one, and I found that over-the-counter painkillers did not work for me. The only thing that could help me was Vicodin, and obviously that's prescription only. My number one recommendation to you is to see a dentist ASAP. If your dentist can't see you until Tuesday, find one that can see you tomorrow. If it is an abscess, then it can become very nasty if left untreated and trust me, you don't want that. If you cannot find someone to see you before Tuesday, call your dentist and ask for some anti-biotics. Those should at least kill any infection that might be going on in there and might help to alleviate a little pain as well. But basically, your best bet is to find a dentist or an oral surgeon ASAP. Look online for emergency dentists in your area and see if one of them can see you right now. The only reason I'm pushing the urgency of this is because if it is an abscess, the pain will only get worse and I don't want to have anyone else go through the pain I went through if they can help it. Good luck, otherwise, and I hope everything goes well!
Just stick it out until your dental appointment; they can fit you with a mouthpiece but you'll still probably chew it up.
i can guarenteee when you go to the dentist he will say you need a root canal...
if im right then it proves all dentists are out for money..
good luck