Continuous pain in jaw but the dentist says no problem with my teeth

[Arthurthecat]

Has anyone else experienced continuous intense aching pain in lower jaw as if big problem with teeth, reminiscent of abscess, only for dentist to say no issues with teeth? Has referred me to Bart’s (at least 8 weeks wait despite marked urgent). Have found nothing to reduce the pain. It came on gradually just like a tooth getting worse but now remains constant. She advised me to be less stressed and relax…

[Jillyanne]

hi, I sometimes have really bad toothache and my dentist has put it down to grinding my teeth / clenching my teeth at night , due to stress

I have a mouth guard to use but it makes me feel sick , so don’t use it 🤷‍♀️

[Arthurthecat in reply to Jillyanne]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I have a mouth guard too but can’t wear it because it is too painful now!

[Caza]

I’ve had a flare that has affected my jaw. So painful. Luckily for me it doesn’t happen often & only lasts a week at the most. For me it helps if I put something warm against it like a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel. Painkillers of course. I also grind/clench my teeth so I get pain from that as well. Although I find that is altogether a different kind of pain. Really feel for you, I do find jaw pain the worst that I’ve had to deal with.

[Arthurthecat in reply to Caza]

Thanks for the reply. No painkillers; paracetamol, co-codamol highest dose touching the pain. Even took nurofen despite effect has on my stomach I was so desperate to sleep. Havé Amitryptaline to aid sleep because of joint pain (RA) but to no avail. As you say this is an all together different pain to usual.

[CagneysMum]

Hi

In the early days of diagnosis I experienced full body RA flares that have also affected my jaw. It was extremely painful but really centred around the jaw hinge bones at either side of my face … not in the jaw itself. I struggled to even open my mouth to eat/drink … clean my teeth etc. I hope you manage to get the support you need soon. 🥰

[Arthurthecat in reply to CagneysMum]

Thank you.

[Blodynhaul in reply to CagneysMum]

Same here

[Aporiac in reply to CagneysMum]

Me too! Of all the joint pains I've experienced with RA (i.e. nearly all of them), I think the jaw is the worst (can't eat or talk and can only drink through a straw!) It's also least susceptible to analgesics/anti-inflamatories, and hardest to mentally distance. Thankfully I haven't had one those flare ups in a while (mtx+hymvar+IM steroids keep the RA mostly tamped down and I can take codine+paracetamol+ibuprofen on top if needed).

[calflo]

yes I have had this on 2 occasions, and like you when it first happened I went to the dentist.

My teeth were fine

It lasted well over a month and felt like it was in my jaw and sometimes spread up to my ears so I went to the Doctor who said my ears were slightly inflamed so gave me antibiotics. I took many painkillers then it eventually wore off.

Last year I started with problems with my neck and saw doctor physio and the finally my RA consultant. I have this reoccurring regularly and I put it all down to my RA….

Might be worth discussing it with your RA team.

[Arthurthecat in reply to calflo]

Thanks for the reply. I will try to achieve contact with them Monday. May just go and sit there till someone suggests away forward.

[AgedCrone]

You need look on nras.org.uk

Good explanations how RA can can affect the jaw.

Tbh I think most people who have been diagnosed with RA experience jaw pain.

Personally I find it comes & goes at intervals……very painful but it does pass.

[Arthurthecat in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you. I had a read. The pain is along the left-hand jawline rather than in the joint. And is now more in the soft tissue…

[GinnyE]

I've had RA jaw pain too. I'd see Rheumatologist if it's not settling.

[LinaM]

oh that sounds so painful! I’m sorry to hear you’re suffering like that. I definitely have issues with my jaw .. it can seize up and be painful. I was given exercises to do to help loosen it up . However , it sounds to me like you have a lot of inflammation and I’d be looking for a steroid shot to help . Definitely get in touch with your RA department and I hope you get some help soon.

[Arthurthecat in reply to LinaM]

Thank you.

[Granzister]

I experience too, except I’m nearly 86 with no teeth (lol) so it’s got to be the RA. But it does ease over a period of time I’ve found. Just a little extra to annoy you!

[Arthurthecat in reply to Granzister]

Silver lining of no teeth is it can’t be them😂 they did say that in any case they are no longer allowed to extract teeth for patients in methotrexate and they would have had to refer me to the dental hospital. They were able to take a tooth out in June 2022.

[Angels-delight]

Have you been checked for TMJ.. I have had pain that comes and goes in my jaw with RA and was advised it is TMJ.Good luck hope you can get it sorted very soon.

[Arthurthecat in reply to Angels-delight]

Can they see whether it is TMJ with an MRI? Have no health insurance but son is keen to get me seen before the 8 weeks wait currently expected. But would it show anything if there was another cause than RA? As on methotrexate (20mg) and Benepali and sulphasalazine rather hoping isn’t a flare but something else…

[Angels-delight in reply to Arthurthecat]

Not sure as I was assessed a long time ago in the UK I am living in Canada but my Rheumy agreed here that I have TMJ.I Have has RA for over 40 years, also a dentist here examined me and agreed I have TMJ.

All the best hopefully you will find a solution soon, take care

Susan

[MaxineC]

Hello, yes, I suffer from excruciating pain in both of my jaws. It comes as goes but the pain is so bad that I cannot explain! Waiting on ENT appointment, been to dentist and had hearing test done and nothing wrong there. I think it is just a terrible flare up which affects the temporomandibular joints. I was also treated for ear infections too but that didn’t help. Sorry I cannot recommend anything to help you. I did have a course of steroids which did dull the pain down a little. Good luck 🤞

[Arthurthecat in reply to MaxineC]

Thank you for your reply. It does make you feel less alone! I just am praying it will go as it suddenly as it has come!

[MaxineC in reply to Arthurthecat]

Yes hopefully it will. Hang on in there x

[AgedCrone in reply to Arthurthecat]

I’ve had jaw pain since I was first diagnosed 20+ years ago & I now accept it as part of the disease.I did have an X-ray first time round & nothing odd showed up.

It has always hovered for days or weeks….then disappeared as fast as it came.

After all this time I prefer not to take any more drugs,

[LW1920]

I get this and, like you, have been thoroughly checked over by my dentist, x-rays, the lot. I found that these exercises really help if you keep repeating them:

bsos.org.uk/wp-content/uplo...

Best of luck.

[Arthurthecat in reply to LW1920]

Many thanks. Very interesting.

[Rafandready70]

yes, I’ve also had pain in my jaw previously and thought it was an abscess, but dentist said my teeth were fine. It was definitely a flare! Luckily haven’t had that pain for quite a while now (touch wood!). Hope it recedes soon, it’s so miserable 🤗

[Arthurthecat in reply to Rafandready70]

Thanks for your reply. It is truly grim at the moment.

[Maxadolf]

Sounds similar to my problem. During the night and extending to the morning, the slightest pressure on my lower premolar generates pain.

History leading up to pain: Chronic pain started ca 2 years ago in the region of my lower gum supporting a false tooth attached to a premolar tooth that was installed about 40 years . I had the false tooth removed leaving a largish gap. Problem didn’t go away so I had a root canal treatment which seemed to go smoothly. But pain still didn’t go away! I discussed it with my regular and specialist dentist and we agreed that the problem was down to loss of load sharing creating an uneven load distribution when applying biting force due to removal of the adjacent false tooth.

As far as I know I don’t grind my teeth in my sleep. About 3 months ago on the advice of my regular dentist in Epsom I arranged to have a tooth implant in Brighten (because they are significantly cheaper than Epsom dental surgeons and have a good reputation). In 2 day’s time after a wait of 3 months to allow the screw to settle in, I’m due to to have the tooth inserted which is a minor procedure, the more challenging one being the forceful (but painless) insertion of the screw implant.

By installing the implant the biting load on the tooth that had the root canal treatment should, in theory remove the chronic, nocturnal and early morning pain: we’ll see! The X-rays showed no abnormalities in the gums.

It’s turned out to be a very expensive series of dental treatments, but worth it if the nocturnal pain disappears as a result of gaining a lateral support from the implant and evening up of the biting load on the troublesome premolar.

[Arthurthecat in reply to Maxadolf]

Hope the treatment solves your issues.

[Hidden]

I get this occasionally.. it is very painful.. I usually try heat or ice packs.. one or the other work in the end. Painkillers help.

[Blackwitch]

I’m another one who has this. I have RA, Fibro, ME/CFS and Functional Neurological Disorder and they overlap which means I’m never too sure what’s causing what and neither does anyone else. I’m always referred back to rheumatology as they have been my only constant since about 2007. I have really sensitive hearing and certain noises hurt my ears and also sets off a chain reaction with jaw pain and toothache. I was checked by the dentist so nothing is wrong with my teeth but once it starts, it’s so painful. I have bought some gel to put on my gums (like baby’s teething gel) which helps but the dentist said it seemed like I had problems with my TMJ because I have difficulty closing my mouth after treatment. She gave my a sheet of exercises but I should think they will be on the internet. They didn’t seem to help me but you may have some luck. The neurologist thinks it’s connected to FND and fibromyalgia! The rheumatologist thinks it’s RA in my jaw and my GP doesn’t care. I plod on! 😂 I hope you find answers soon. xx

[Connie49]

I believe it’s quite common for RA to affect the TMJ joints, as I can personally testify. I went through a bad time with it about 3 years ago, but it did eventually settle. I found applying heat effective. Do mention it to your Rheumatologist, though.

[thinkhappy]

We are all so different but I too have facial pain in my lower jaw. After a lot of expensive specialist dental work which just made things worse I was able to go to see someone at the UCLH hospital (facial pain clinic department) in London. I was given Amitriptyline 10gm which I take in the evenings. If nerve pain is the problem paracetamol, ibuprofen have little effect. Your own doctor can prescribe Amitriptyline which may help you until you get a firm diagnosis. Unfortunately my problem won't go away but I feel so much better just knowing what is wrong and the medicine helps. Wishing you well

[Arthurthecat in reply to thinkhappy]

Thanks for the reply. I am already on 20mg Amitryptaline. I now have a palpable lump under my jaw. Could be sign of infection or something else… nothing evident in throat, mouth or ear. GP has referred me to head and neck clinic as urgent who may contact me in next 48 hours. I can chase them from Wednesday. Pain continues though applying heat has helped a little. Obviously I had just taken pain relief before I walked up to see her. So she hasn’t seen me rocking and whimpering in the last hour before I can take next Panadol Extra (gives 75 minutes of relief) Blooming ibuprofen immediately gave me stomach pain as it did 7 years ago but had to try it again. Sorry to go on but I am a little fixated at the moment!

[thinkhappy in reply to Arthurthecat]

I can understand why, really hope you get your appointment soon.