Why Does My Jaw Ache When I Wake Up?

Ideally, you wake up in the morning feeling revitalized and ready to seize the day. But many people open their eyes immediately feeling less than their best because of what happened while they were sleeping. Does that sound familiar?

If you wake up with an achy jaw, come visit Eric R. Koch, DDS, at Advanced Dental Care of East Texas in Jasper, Texas. Dr. Koch can help you figure out what’s happening overnight to cause your jaw pain. Then, he works with you to find the best solution — like TMJ treatment — to improve your symptoms. 

Causes of morning jaw aches

Waking up with pain in the lower portion of your face could stem from a variety of causes, including:

• Teeth grinding
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
• An unaddressed cavity
• Emerging wisdom teeth 
• Gum disease
• Inflammation in your sinuses

Talk with Dr. Koch about how you feel. Your jaw pain could be from something as simple as the way you sleep. But he can also perform a dental exam to check for any issues with your teeth and gums that could be causing your discomfort. 

During your appointment, he can also evaluate you for a common cause of morning jaw aches: TMJ. 

TMJ 101

You have two temporomandibular joints, one on each side of your face. These joints facilitate your jaw movement, powering your speech and your ability to eat. In short, they’re pretty darn essential.

There might be an issue with these joints if you wake up with jaw aches, especially if you’re also experiencing other symptoms like:

• Headaches
• Difficulty or discomfort when you chew
• Pain in or near your ears
• Sounds (e.g., popping, clicking) when you move your jaw

If that sounds familiar, you likely have TMJ disorder. Fortunately, Dr. Koch has a variety of options to treat it. 

Generally, that starts with oral orthotics — a custom-tailored nightguard worn to support your jaw and TMJs as you sleep. It will also help If you’re experiencing jaw pain because of teeth grinding.

He also offers transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to help the muscles around your jaw relax. And if nothing else alleviates your pain, he can explore oral surgery with you, as well.

Ultimately, you don’t have to keep waking up in pain. To find the relief you need to start your day feeling your best, call our office or book your visit online today. Our friendly staff will help you schedule an appointment at a convenient time for you.