jaw involvement?

ouchpotato
ouchpotato Member Posts: 453
edited 29. Jun 2013, 03:54 in Living with Arthritis archive
I just got back from the dentist, who took a cast of my teeth so she can make a mouth guard for me to wear at night. I was aware that I clench my jaw at night because I wake up with an aching face every morning, but it is apparent on my teeth too she said. She also took x rays of both sides. I have to go back next week for the guard and the results of the x rays. No dentists has ever mentioned this before, and I know I have been doing this for the past six months to a year. Is this connected to an inflammatory arthritis do you think or something totally coincidental and separate? Does anyone else suffer from this?

x

Comments

  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    I do remember someone on a while ago that said something on the same lines, I will see if I can find it for you...but Im not sure if its connected to inflammatory arthritis...strange but I have always been a teeth grinder and my dentist has never mentioned it..so its good they have picked upon it for you xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My husband is a teeth-grinder and that is entirely due to work and two-maternal-deaths-stress. It's no wonder that you are clenching your jaw, surely it's a normal enough reaction to continued pain and difficulty, the tension will be manifest somewhere and in your case it's there.

    I don't clench my jaw but I do wake in the night (I'm a side-sleeper) with my head right back, my chin pointing towards the ceiling. :roll: DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    ouchpotato wrote:
    Is this connected to an inflammatory arthritis do you think or something totally coincidental and separate? Does anyone else suffer from this?

    x

    The usual answer, I'm afraid. It might be and it might not be :roll: I have arthritis in my jaw due to my RA/OA. I'm a dentist's nightmare. I've no idea how she manages to see what she's doing as I can't open it much at all. However, I've never been offered a mouth guard or told I cleched/grinded my teeth.

    My firend's daughter on the other hand, has and does. She has a dental mouth guard but has never had any form of arthritis.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,057
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Oucpotato

    I have had nasty jaw pain at times - quite awful to be honest and the last time it was really bad it stuck partly shut and didn't open for several days. Pain was excruciating, (ear/teeth/jaw etc), but anti-inflams and time did ease things. Since then I have made a conscious effort to relax my jaw at night as advised by the dentist.

    I know another lass on here who had a mouth guard it cost £200 or something! A lot of money isn't it??

    I hope it helps you

    Love

    Toni xxx

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