Jaw popping is a sound that occurs when opening the mouth. Most of the time, a person feels pain. Jaw popping can also occur when opening the jaw wide due to eating or yawning. The cause may be problems with the function of the joints that connect the bones of the mouth and the ends of the skull of the jaw. Learn all the details in the following lines.
What is jaw clicking?
Jaw clicking is a clicking sound that comes from the jaw and is accompanied by a feeling of pain when using the mouth. This is noticed when yawning, biting nails, chewing food, and also when sticking the jaw forward, pressing hard on the empty jaw, or grinding teeth.
Is jaw cracking dangerous?
Many people suffer from jaw clicking and want to know the cause. In fact, there are two types of jaw clicking, which we will learn about in the following lines:
- The first type of clicking occurs when the mouth is at its widest point. The clicking here is more like a partial dislocation of a joint, because the head of the lower jaw moves out of the joint cavity over a bony rim in the skull. This type is considered normal and occurs due to the jaw opening excessively.
- The second type of cracking: This type poses a risk to the patient's health because it occurs due to a herniated disc within the joint.
- The clicking sound normally occurs as a low sound when the mouth is closed, because the disc slides in front of the head of the lower jaw bone. When the mouth is opened again, a loud clicking sound occurs, because the cartilage disc returns to its normal position over the condyle of the lower jaw.
Cause of jaw cracking
There are many factors that can cause TMJ disorders, which can lead to jaw clicking. Each of these factors varies in severity and degree of pain and discomfort, including the following:
- Herniated disc or dislocation of the joint.
- Occurrence of all types of arthritis.
- Teeth grinding.
- A fracture or severe blow to the jaw bones or joint area.
- There are some sports that require repeated pressure on the teeth, which over time causes a feeling of jaw popping.
- Tumors that develop anywhere in the mouth, depending on the location, affect jaw movement, causing a clicking sound.
Causes of jaw clicking while eating
- Jaw clicking occurs while eating due to chewing hard on hard food and for a long time.
- Clenching can be caused by malocclusion, jaw bone problems, tooth decay, or tooth loss, which causes food to be chewed unevenly on both sides.
Causes of jaw clicking without pain
Jaw clicking without pain is not a cause for concern. There may be some health conditions that cause the clicking, such as jaw spasms and earaches, and they may require medical intervention.
Jaw clicking when yawning
The clicking sound that occurs when yawning and widening the mouth occurs in many people at some point. This is caused by the head of the lower jaw moving out of the joint cavity, and it returns to its normal position when the yawn ends. This type of cracking is normal and does not cause any health problems.
Symptoms of jaw popping
You may feel only jaw cracking without experiencing any symptoms, and sometimes you may experience symptoms such as:
- Feeling pain with jaw movement.
- Inability to open the mouth fully.
- Difficulty eating.
- Swelling of the face or jaw.
- Pain spreading to the face, neck, or shoulders
- A sudden change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together.
- Feeling headache, earache, dizziness, and hearing problems.
Jaw popping treatment
There are some home remedies that offer a solution to the problem of jaw popping, and we will learn about them in the following lines:
- Eat soft foods and avoid foods that are difficult to eat and require a lot of chewing, such as tough vegetables or sticky foods like caramel, which may cause the condition to deteriorate.
- Applying an ice pack to the jaw area for 10 to 15 minutes, followed by warm compresses for 5 to 10 minutes, may help reduce symptoms.
- Avoid vigorous jaw movements or activities that require opening the mouth wide, such as yawning, chewing gum, singing, and screaming.
- Learn relaxation and stress relief movements.
- Do exercises to tighten and relax your jaw muscles. You can consult a doctor or physical therapist about this.
- Take anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant medications without overdoing it, such as ibuprofen and ibuprofen, and antidepressants after consulting your doctor.
- You can use a mouth guard to control teeth grinding, especially while sleeping.
- Laser or radiofrequency therapy can help stimulate joint movement and reduce pain in the jaw, mouth, and neck.
- Dental treatments can help resolve any health problems that cause jaw clicking.
- In the most severe cases, the doctor may perform an arthroscopy of the joint. Plasma may be injected into the joint or tissues, or painkillers may be taken.
Does jaw cracking affect the ear?
The anatomical relationship between the temporomandibular joint and the structures extending into the middle and inner ear, and injuries to the jaw can cause tinnitus.
What are the symptoms of jaw cancer?
Symptoms and signs of jaw cancer can be identified through the following points:
- A sore on the lip or inside the mouth that does not heal completely.
- A red or white spot appears on the inside of your mouth
- Tooth decay.
- Severe mouth pain.
- Earache.
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing.
At the end of the article, we discussed the causes of jaw cracking and presented all the types that can cause it, along with treatment methods. You can read the article and learn all the details.
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