Difficulty in Mouth Opening

Mouth Opening Problem / Jaw Locking

In our daily life, we face a lot of small health issues which we tend to ignore most of the time. It is only when the pain or the uneasiness increases that we actually care to bother about it. One of the very commonly occurring uneasiness that we tent to ignore is the difficulty that we face in the opening and closing our mouth. Well yes! This might be a trifling issue that might sometime get well instantly but when it prevails, it is always better to take an expert advice from the doctor and check if the symptoms indicate any serious health disorder.

But why are the difficulty in opening and closing mouth considered as a serious indication? What are the symptoms that we suppose to notice carefully when this difficulty comes up? These are the common questions that might pop up in any person's head. So here are all the possible causes and symptoms that would indicate that a doctor appointment is needed immediately to get rid of this particular uneasiness.

Possible Causes of Mouth Opening Problem

1. Any kind of difficulty in the movement of jaw i.e. opening and closing of the mouth, chewing, yawning or talking are because the person is suffering from TMJ or Temperomandibular joint disorder.

• This disorder is caused by the malocclusion of the teeth or sometimes due to excessive pressure or injury that might have happened in the area.

• The main symptom includes pain in the jaw joint, locking of the mouth while performing any normal jaw movements.

• Inescapable Headaches and tenderness in the whole face.

• Pain in the shoulder region and the neck area.

• Popping and hustling sound in the ears along with certain hearing problems.

• Grinding of teeth.

• Toothaches and excruciating pain in the temple area.

• Overall Lethargy and unreasonable tiredness throughout the day.

2. The other possible causes of jaw movement difficulty and mouth opening problem are:

• Tetany

This is a condition of mineral imbalance in the body which includes the noticeable symptom of swelling only the joint area and difficulty in opening the mouth or talking.

• Side effect of any medication

It is more obvious to notice the symptoms because the Jaw Locking and difficulty in opening the mouth when occurs after in taking certain medications or drugs.

• Fractured or broken jaw

This is the obvious cause of excruciating pain in the jaw joint and inability of opening the mouth.

It is always advisable to consult a dentist to take their expert advice. While the home remedies such as some over the counter drugs might work but most of the time opting for a dental checkup is always better. The dentist might opt for an x-ray after discussing the symptoms and then take a step forward to prescribe medicines. Certain physical of treating the pain or even a surgery can be advised by the doctor to get rid of the uneasiness.

At Crystal Dental Centre New Delhi, India our doctors will do a physical examination and prescribe tests if necessary to carry on with the right treatment for your mouth opening problem and jaw locking.

Authored by Dr. ABHIMANYU CHATURVEDI