arthritis in the jaw

carrie49
carrie49 Member Posts: 7
edited 29. Apr 2010, 12:58 in Living with Arthritis archive
hi - has anyone any advice on arthritis in the jaw please? i have osteoarthritis in various joints - have had a bone removed from my wrist and both thumbs and 3 fingers fused.
I was coping quite well, keeping active at local leisure centre, but feeling really down at the moment because of this latest diagnosis. I am wearing a soft jaw splint at the moment and will be having a more complicated splint fitted in 2 weeks - just wondered if anyone else had experience of these splints and if they follow a totally soft diet.
carrie :?

Comments

  • marion1952
    marion1952 Member Posts: 963
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dear Carrie

    Just to say I have great sympathy for you ... I had a flare up of RA in my left jaw recently and was in a lot of pain and couldn't open my mouth .. fortunately mine only lasted about 3 days, yours is clearly a lot worse than mine was.

    I've not heard about the jaw splints so I can't give you any advice, but I hope there will be some other peeps coming along soon who have experience of them and will be able to help you..

    best wishes

    Marion
  • page35
    page35 Member Posts: 1,081
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carrie
    sorry you have this diagnoses, i have RA not OA but i do have it in my jaw had pain or ache for about a year now and it does drive me nuts when its bad. i dont have jaw splints but am interested to know how they work??
    my dentist said i need a jaw guard? but its £200 so havent got it yet am waiting to see rhuemy again to see if she has any other ideas first.
    i dont eat things that are chewy anymore, like gum,toffee,some meats such as pork. and alot of other stuff, cant manage crusty bread which i love :(
    sorry im not much help but i do sympathise
    all the best
    sharon
  • carrie49
    carrie49 Member Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    marion1952 wrote:
    Dear Carrie

    Just to say I have great sympathy for you ... I had a flare up of RA in my left jaw recently and was in a lot of pain and couldn't open my mouth .. fortunately mine only lasted about 3 days, yours is clearly a lot worse than mine was.

    I've not heard about the jaw splints so I can't give you any advice, but I hope there will be some other peeps coming along soon who have experience of them and will be able to help you..

    best wishes

    Marion
    Thank you for the reply Marion - mine is caused by osteoarthritis and I have been told the splints can't 'make the arthritis go away', but should be able to help with the pain - the soft splint i wear at the moment is not very pleasant to wear - I have been told the new one will take more getting used to.
    carrie
  • carrie49
    carrie49 Member Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    page35 wrote:
    Hi Carrie
    sorry you have this diagnoses, i have RA not OA but i do have it in my jaw had pain or ache for about a year now and it does drive me nuts when its bad. i dont have jaw splints but am interested to know how they work??
    my dentist said i need a jaw guard? but its £200 so havent got it yet am waiting to see rhuemy again to see if she has any other ideas first.
    i dont eat things that are chewy anymore, like gum,toffee,some meats such as pork. and alot of other stuff, cant manage crusty bread which i love :(
    sorry im not much help but i do sympathise
    all the best
    sharon

    Hi Sharon - thank you for your reply - i had to pay at the dentist for my first splint, but my dentist referred me to the maxilo facial dept at the hospital, so the new splint wont cost me anything - might be worth you asking to be referred.
    carrie
  • puffin
    puffin Member Posts: 67
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carrie,
    I have worn a custom-made plastic splint over my lower teeth for at least fifteen years, following a visit to an orthodontist who knew about jaw misalignment due to shortened/thickened muscles and worn joints. He checked my neck muscles too. (I have a lesion and bony spurs, etc. in my neck.) Am now on the third brace as one only lasts a few years.
    I had sleep apnoea (and would still have if I did not wear it every night). My bite was uneven so I was biting on fillings and as muscles contracted overnight I was grinding my teeth. My airway is narrow so with my head tilting forward I was cutting it off. Some kind of reflex mechanism would wake me up regularly so I got little sleep.
    It was recommended I wear the splint at night. Occasionally I feel discomfort but the cause is usually when I have had to talk a lot over a day. This tightens my muscles and activates nerve pain in my tongue too----quite painful. Alternatively I might have been overusing my hand(s) so the nerves from my neck are inflamed.
    Try to avoid getting a chilled neck. In winter and in other cold times, eg. evening, out of doors, a light silky scarf is helpful. Again the nerve endings are affected and the neck muscles stiffen.
    A good dentist/other practitioner should check your bite and the brace over two or three visits initially and pare it down/build it up appropriately.

    Hope this helps,
    Puffin
    carrie49 wrote:
    page35 wrote:
    Hi Carrie
    sorry you have this diagnoses, i have RA not OA but i do have it in my jaw had pain or ache for about a year now and it does drive me nuts when its bad. i dont have jaw splints but am interested to know how they work??
    my dentist said i need a jaw guard? but its £200 so havent got it yet am waiting to see rhuemy again to see if she has any other ideas first.
    i dont eat things that are chewy anymore, like gum,toffee,some meats such as pork. and alot of other stuff, cant manage crusty bread which i love :(
    sorry im not much help but i do sympathise
    all the best
    sharon

    Hi Sharon - thank you for your reply - i had to pay at the dentist for my first splint, but my dentist referred me to the maxilo facial dept at the hospital, so the new splint wont cost me anything - might be worth you asking to be referred.
    carrie
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi carrie

    just popped by to say welcome to the forum :D

    I've had only a couple of flares of arther in the jaw ( not at the level you have) but know a bit about how very painful and restricting it is. :roll:

    never worn a jaw splint but interested to read what others posting have been using and where they got them from. :D

    there have been a few threads on jaw arther on this forum so there are a few peeps around who know where you're coming from with coping with this nasty form of arther.

    hope you get something that helps...please let us know how you get on. Iris xx
  • carrie49
    carrie49 Member Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dorcas wrote:
    Hi carrie

    just popped by to say welcome to the forum :D

    I've had only a couple of flares of arther in the jaw ( not at the level you have) but know a bit about how very painful and restricting it is. :roll:

    never worn a jaw splint but interested to read what others posting have been using and where they got them from. :D

    there have been a few threads on jaw arther on this forum so there are a few peeps around who know where you're coming from with coping with this nasty form of arther.

    hope you get something that helps...please let us know how you get on. Iris xx

    ...will keep in touch with forum :)
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,336
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carrie

    welcome form me too.

    Sorry about the jaw :x :x :x

    Grrrr!!!!

    I had this all over christmas and new year. By the 'eck its painful isnt it?? In the end one night I was cleaning my teeth it clucked and was AGONY and stuck shut :shock: Had about a half centimetre gap for a day or so.

    I couldnt swalow and was dribbling - the pain well you know :( I did stick to soft stuff took my pain meds and arcoxia and over a few weeks it eased up. I am fine now - but i think thats the way sometimes - arthritis is somewhere else for me now :roll:

    The splints shouuld help and i am glad for you taht you area getting help. Dont think they like jaw replacements do they? Think rest rest and mre rest pain meds and anti-inflams.

    I am so sorry

    Love

    Toni xx
  • dopeykit
    dopeykit Member Posts: 107
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carrie,

    Sorry to hear about your jaw. I have PA in the jaw and its a pain. I eat a soft food diet but don't wear a splint (I guess because mine is inflammatory not mechanical). I have to say I find eating very very boring not and mainly suck pieces of chocolate or eat yoghurt. It kills yours social life as well not being able to eat out properly...grrr. I find rubbing ibruprofen gel along the jaw joint near my ear hurts and heat packs. Tramadol for when it gets too sore.

    There are a few older threads on jaws that you might find it helpful to read - you can search for them.

    Hope you get some relief

    xkit
    www.cookingwitharthur.com
    Healthy, tasty recipes for living well with arthritis
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Firstly, hello to you and puffin. This is a good place for help, hints and support. I only joined last week and find it wonderful.

    Secondly, I don't have the jaw problem that you are experiencing - my arthritis is inflammatory and when it flares makes my jaw ache, but nothing more (yet!) but that doesn't mean that I can't feel for you. I have no practical suggestions whatsoever - think puffin covered them - but I am thinking of you and I hope it eases soon. Keep in touch. Dreamdaisy
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • carrie49
    carrie49 Member Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you for replying to my post - very kind of you all :) I think as my jaw arthritis is OA it is here to stay - the splints are supposed to support the jaw and rest it.
    From what some of you have said, looks like it is soft diet and rest - will have to look for some good recipes otherwise it is going to be even more of a pain :(
    I am trying to be positive about it, it is inconvenient and not life threatening, so just have to find new ways of doing things :)
    Will let you know how the new splint goes when i have it fitted on the 11th May.
    best wishes carrie
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,336
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carrie

    good attitude :)

    Do keep us up to date.

    Think the new splint will FORCE you to rset that poor jaw :?

    Thinking of you

    Love

    Toni xx
  • carrie49
    carrie49 Member Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    frogmorton wrote:
    Hi Carrie

    good attitude :)

    Do keep us up to date.

    Think the new splint will FORCE you to rset that poor jaw :?

    Thinking of you

    Love

    Toni xx

    Thank you Toni :)