Painful jaw

[Knitmare]

I've been diagnosed with RA for 7 years now. Just recently my lower left jaw has started to hurt. I've had my teeth checked and all is well. Is this just another pain I can put down to RA?

[patrickd]

Absolutely! Actually, my own jaw (both sides for me) starts to ache right before I have a "flare-up". Seems I can predict a "flare" by the feeling in my jaw..so strange. It is very uncomfortable to go to the dentist for a filling or really a simple cleaning of my teeth as holding my mouth open can become agonizing for any time frame really. Before I was diagnosed fully with RA my jaw would ache after chewing gum for extended periods or sometimes upon waking. When I went to my dentist he told me it can be a symptom of RA (of course among many others especially fatigue). Not everyone is "lucky" enough to have that jaw pain, just SOME of us.😉😉 Nothing really relives that pain other than getting your RA under full control but it goes away. Sometimes my jaw will just bother me when my RA is considered to be under control so go figure. I think I am a "teeth grinder" while sleeping at times too so that doesn't help much. Hope your jaw feels better soon!