Why Does My Jaw Keep Locking | 10 Common Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Are you bothered about why your jaw keep locking? This could happen as a result of several things that will be mentioned in this article. At some point, you'll get to understand what jaw locking means, the causes of jaw locking, the necessary treatment required for jaw locking and the recommended ways to go about it.
Also Read: Why Does Your Jaw Hurt When You Eat?
In actual sense, it is quite normal to be concerned about why does my jaw keep locking if you notice your jaw locking suddenly and unexpectedly. For some reasons, it might pose a serious concern to your oral health, while for some other common and usual causes, it is nothing to worry about. For the latter, all it mostly requires is just lifestyle adjustments.
Now, to the main topic of this article, which is, " why does my jaw keep locking?", we'll be having an in-depth of the condition of jaw locking.
Here’s everything you need to know about why does my jaw keep locking!
Also Read: Why Does Your Jaw Pop When You Chew?
6 Common Causes: Why Does My Jaw Keep Locking?
There are several notable causes to this oral condition. It's not absolutely healthy nor is it normal to easily waive off.
1. Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD or TMJD)
One foremost causes to why does your jaw keep locking is Temporomandibular joint disorders. Normally, the Temporomandibular joint is the joint responsible for the activeness of related mouth and jaw activities such as chewing, yawning or speaking. These joint are basically located between the lower jaw and the temporal bone.
Hence, the disorder can cause an throbbing or aching pain in the both jaw joint, surrounding muscles in or near the ear and face.
The common symptoms of TMD are jaw discomfort, swelling, aching and pain among many others
2. Bruxism or Teeth Grinding
Teeth Grinding is causes when there's too much stress on the jaw bones caused by grinding, clenching of teeth due to stress or dental problems.
Bruxism is mostly attributed to stress and Anxiety which triggers coaching of teeth among most people. This often occurs at night. As a result, you could suffer from jaw pain in the morning when you wake up. It could occur during the day without you being aware of it.
The common effect of bruxism on the teeth are soreness or tightness in the face, neck and the both jaw joint.
3. Stress and Anxiety
Another causes to why does my jaw keep locking is the feeling of anxiety and stress. This could result to jaw locking and the pain may become worser when you eat or talk.
4. Chewing
Excessive chewing is necessary factor to consider as to why does my jaw keep locking. For those who excessively chew gum or other substance, this could have an effect on both jaw bones or tightness in the lower jaw.
5. Tetanus
This is also called lockjaw. It is a fatal bacterial infections with symptoms such as stiffness in the abdomen, trouble swallowing, and painful muscle contractions in the jaw and neck.
6. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
This is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder that usually affects the muscles and joints throughout the body. Thus inflammatory disorder is also often attributed to TMD according to reports.
This disorder can damage the jaw joint and surrounding tissues as well as an cause bone loss in the jaw.
7. Medications
It is unlikely to talk about why does my jaw keep locking without mentioning that the side effect of some medicine can also cause jaw locking. There are some medications that are known to or may trigger jaw lock or jaw pain symptoms.
Hence, drugs is also a vital causes of jaw locking to consider.
8. Osteoarthritis (OA)
Though rare, it’s possible for osteoarthritis (OA) to occur within the temporomandibular joints. It can cause deterioration and loss of function of the jaw bone, cartilage, and tissue.
Despite the rarity, it can also result in a tight, painful jaw and some radiating pain around the area near the jaw.
9. Infections
An infection around your mouth can also cause your jaw to lock. Infections can sometimes damages the connecting muscles or nerves in the jaw permanently and later result to repeated jaw locking.
Although, this is not so common, it's not out of the possible causes to why does my jaw keep locking.
10. Facial trauma
This might be as a result of some accident.
Common Symptoms: Why Does My Jaw Keep Locking?
The usual symptoms of jaw locking are ache, severe or throbbing pain on your jaw, head, teeth, neck, nose, mouth, ears, clicking sounds,
How Do I Stop My Jaw From Locking?
Here are some of the recommended ways to ensure your jaw stop locking. While some are purely home exercises, some serious condition may require surgery. In that light, all the notable ways to stop jaw locking are provided below:
1. Do jaw joint stretching exercises
2. Use mouth guard
3. Avoid eating hard or chewy foods
4. Stop chewing gums
5. Massage your jaw
6. Use medications or injections
7. Cut food into smaller sizes for easy bites.
8. Surgery
9. Acupuncture treatment
10. Avoid getting stressed or anxious.
Will Jaw Locking Go Away?
Aside using surgery which was usually considered as the first response or treatment to jaw locking, there are some other interesting ways to have jaw locking go away.
Recent studies have shown that the combination of anti-inflammatory agents, physical therapy, and dental splints can effectively reduce symptoms of jaw locking.
Conclusion
Getting to know more about this is quite important as it relived you of the bother of why does my jaw keep locking. It also helps to identify the problem and take the necessary steps for treatments.
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