Why Does My Jaw Hurt When I Chew? 7 Common Causes

Jaw pain when you chew usually comes from tired, tight chewing muscles or a strained jaw joint, called the TMJ. Clenching, grinding and lots of hard chewing are the most common reasons. Tooth problems, gum problems and sinus pressure can also make chewing hurt.

The good news is that most of these causes are common and easy to work on. Below are 7 causes, how to tell them apart, and simple steps that help.

How Your Jaw Works When You Chew

Every bite uses two main parts:

• Your chewing muscles. The biggest one is the masseter. It runs from your cheekbone down to the corner of your jaw. Clench your teeth and you can feel it bulge.
• Your jaw joints. You have one TMJ in front of each ear. These joints let your jaw open, close and slide from side to side.

When either part is tired, tight or irritated, chewing can hurt. The pain can show up in your cheek, in front of your ear, along your jawline or even in your teeth.

7 Common Causes of Jaw Pain When Chewing

1. Tight, overworked chewing muscles

This is the most common cause. For its size, the masseter is one of the strongest muscles in your body. When it stays tight for days or weeks, it gets sore and stiff. Chewing then puts more work on a muscle that is already tired. The pain is often a dull ache in the cheek that gets worse as a meal goes on.

2. Clenching or grinding your teeth

Many people clench their teeth without knowing it. It happens while you focus, drive, work out or feel stressed. Some people also grind their teeth at night. Either way, the jaw muscles work for hours when they should be resting. By mealtime, they are already worn out. Our guide on how to stop clenching your jaw during the day covers simple ways to break the habit.

3. A strained jaw joint (TMJ)

The jaw joint can get irritated from clenching, an injury, wear over time or arthritis. Signs include clicking or popping, pain right in front of the ear, and a jaw that feels stiff or gets stuck. Problems with the joint and the muscles around it are often called TMD or TMJ disorder.

4. A tooth problem

A cavity, a cracked tooth or an infection can hurt when you bite down. Tooth pain is usually sharp and in one spot. It may get worse with hot, cold or sweet foods. If one tooth hurts every time you bite, see a dentist.

5. Gum problems or wisdom teeth

Sore, swollen gums can make chewing painful. Wisdom teeth that are coming in, or stuck under the gum, can also cause pain at the back of the jaw. You might notice swelling, a bad taste or trouble opening wide.

6. Sinus pressure

Your upper back teeth sit close to your sinuses. When your sinuses swell from a cold or allergies, the pressure can feel like an ache in your upper jaw or teeth. It often comes with a stuffy nose and gets worse when you bend over.

7. Too much chewing or a change to your bite

Chewing gum all day, eating lots of tough or chewy foods, or biting into big, hard foods can wear out your jaw muscles. A new filling, a crown or braces can also change how your teeth meet for a while. Your muscles may feel sore as they adjust.

Is It Your Muscles, Your Joint or a Tooth?

These clues can help you narrow it down:

• Muscle: a dull, tired ache in the cheek or along the jawline. It feels tender when you press on it. It is often worse in the morning or late in the day.
• Joint: pain right in front of the ear, often with clicking, popping or a stiff, stuck feeling.
• Tooth: sharp pain in one spot when you bite. It may react to hot, cold or sweet foods.
• Sinus: an ache in the upper back teeth with a stuffy nose or pressure under the eyes.

Muscle pain and joint pain often show up together. Tight muscles pull on the joint, and a sore joint makes the muscles tense up to protect it.

What Helps Jaw Pain When You Chew

If your pain comes from your muscles or your jaw joint, these simple steps can help it ease over time:

1. Eat softer foods on flare-up days. Try eggs, yogurt, soup, rice, fish, pasta and cooked vegetables.
2. Cut food into small bites. Avoid opening very wide for big sandwiches or whole apples.
3. Chew on both sides. Using one side all the time overloads the muscles on that side.
4. Skip gum. Give your jaw a real break between meals.
5. Use a warm compress. Hold a warm, damp cloth on your cheeks for 5 to 10 minutes to help the muscles relax.
6. Massage the masseter. Roll small circles from in front of your ear down to the corner of your jaw, about 30 seconds per side, morning and bedtime. Here is how to massage your masseter, step by step.
7. Rest your jaw the right way. Between meals, keep your lips together, teeth apart and tongue resting on the roof of your mouth.

Keep these habits up every day, not just on bad days. Tight muscles need steady care to settle down.

When to See a Dentist or Doctor

Home care is a good place to start for mild muscle pain. Get checked by a dentist or doctor if:

• Your jaw locks open or closed, or gets stuck.
• You can't open your mouth fully.
• The pain keeps getting worse, or lasts more than a couple of weeks.
• You have a fever, swelling in your face or jaw, or numbness.
• One tooth hurts sharply when you bite.
• The pain started after a fall or a hit to the face.

Jaw pain that comes with chest pain, shortness of breath or pain down your arm needs emergency care. Call 911.

The Bottom Line

Most jaw pain when chewing comes from muscles that are working too hard. Clenching, grinding and lots of tough chewing keep them tight, and meals are when you feel it. The fix is a routine: softer foods on bad days, less clenching, and a little care for the masseter every day.

If you want to make that daily care easier, we made the Orela Jaw Relief Roll-On for it. It's a light serum with natural mint, tea tree oil, vitamin E and allantoin, with a cool steel roller ball on top. The mint cools and quiets the ache, and the roller massages the masseter in about 30 seconds per side.

This article is general information, not medical advice.