Have you been experiencing pain in your ear or jaw? This pain can present as a mild ache, but it can also cause intense pain. Unfortunately, though, there are a number of conditions that can be contributing to your ear and jaw pain–from infections and injuries to joint problems. To help you get a better understanding about ear and jaw pain, let’s take a look at some of the most common causes.

TMJ disorder

Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can actually be the culprit of many problems including ear and jaw pain. If you suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), you may experience headaches, migraines, eye pain and even sinus pressure. Some other conditions and factors that can contribute to TMJ pain and, ultimately, TMD include:

  • Teeth grinding.
  • Misaligned jaw or teeth.
  • Muscle injuries.
  • Arthritis. 

That is why it is important to visit your dentist for proper treatment to eliminate your symptoms and minimize discomfort.

Oral infections

Yes, you can experience ear or jaw pain if you have an oral infection. The most likely culprit is a tooth abscess, which can be extremely painful and radiate pain to the ear or jaw. If you do have a tooth abscess, you might have swelling in the gums or have a tender spot in and around your teeth. 

This pain may even disappear only to reappear again as pain in the ear or jaw. When that happens, it can be a signal that your infection is spreading. 

Injury to the jaw

If you broke your jaw or strained the surrounding muscles of your jaw, this can also radiate to your ear. After falling, a car accident or a blow to the head, do you have ear and jaw pain? When this happens, it may mean that you have a jaw injury that requires medical treatment. Don’t delay on getting care to avoid further complications.

Teeth grinding

With the heightened stress of the pandemic, teeth grinding might be the cause of your jaw or ear pain. When you grind your teeth at night, it places stress on the muscles of your face, neck and jaw. 

This tension can cause pain in your jaw, ears and on the front or side of your face. To make matters worse, some people might even damage their teeth because this condition slowly grinds teeth down and can even break them.

Contact Dr. Mayoor Patel at Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Center of Georgia to learn more.