Jaw Clicking/Popping issue

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Lord Nemesis

Lord Nemesis

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Just wanted to ask how many of you guys face this issue of Jaw making clicking/popping sounds (not necessarily audible to others) when you open your mouth or while chewing food. I have this issue for some time now and never really bothered about it till now since there was never any pain or other side effects associated with it.

However a couple of months back (during winter) I had to visit an ENT specialist for an ear infection and he asked me about the clicking as well and advised me to stay away from tough/hard foods.

I have lately read about the issue on the net and came to know that it can occasionally lead to serious implications like Jaw dislocation and the like. Any inputs from the doctors on TE would be great. :)
 
Visit a dentist (someone who specializes in Oral Medicine and Radiology would be better). Jaw clicking can be a very mild condition at its best or lead to very severe complications at its worst. As advised, stay away from chewing very hard stuff, and as far as possible, chew using both sides of the mouth equally.
 
I used to have it for 2-3 years !! Nothing serious, but annoying! It then disappeared automatically !
 
i have jaw clicking as well as involuntary muscle twitching but i never paid any attention to it. i thought it all happened due to my mild-semi mild cerebral atrophy which was a result of all the head injuries i suffered in my childhood.
 
Jaw Clicking happens due to the ball of your mandible (jaw bone) slipping out of the socket joint space while opening the mouth.

It happens naturally normally, but when your joint gets either stiff, or forcefully opened extra bit or sometimes due to erupting wisdom teeth.

Precautions :
Keep mouth opening just a little less than when click appears.
Try to avoid hard food.
Chew on both sides equally.
Try to give support to lower jaw while yawning, sneezing, coughing.
Do hot water fomentation infront, below and behind the ear so that blood circulation improves.

Increase amount of milk, banana in your diet so that it replenises the calcium necessity.

Get your teeth status checked, any carious teeth, or any unerupted wisdom teeth if there is any abnormality do get it rectified.

Hope it helped.

Do revert if any doubt.
 
I have that clicking esp. after a sound sleep. A wisdom tooth hasn't come out properly as yet. :ashamed:
 
I too used to have this problem and ignored it, but then suddenly some time back my jaw used to get locked, movement of my mouth got restricted (i.e I could not open my mouth fully, so coudnt eat anything properly) At first, this problem was only a 5-12 minute thing but after some days it got permanently locked, I got really scared but nothing was working..after a visit to a doc and having had some medication did I finally got some relief, but I could never really understand the problem (and I think nor did the doc did)
 
Mephistopheles said:
I too used to have this problem and ignored it, but then suddenly some time back my jaw used to get locked, movement of my mouth got restricted (i.e I could not open my mouth fully, so coudnt eat anything properly) At first, this problem was only a 5-12 minute thing but after some days it got permanently locked, I got really scared but nothing was working..after a visit to a doc and having had some medication did I finally got some relief, but I could never really understand the problem (and I think nor did the doc did)
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your could be pathological joint capsule / ligament / cushion / muscle damage which kept on aggravating because of negligence.

After medications the areas damaged got time to heal and thats why you are better.

T-M Joint (the joint managing jaw movements) is a notorious and peculiar joint.

It imaging is difficult thats the reason most doctors dont prefer to go deep into the treatment aspect.

As the ailments affecting the joint are always difficult to manage for both patient and doctors alike.

So consider the dictum "Prevention is better than cure" and keep your joint healthy.
 
@medpal : i have a friend of mine who has the same issue, the jaw doesnt pop, but it just makes the click sound......its been the same since a young age....now hes in his mid 20's and he still carry's the same problem....but as for him its not a problem.....would there be any issues / problems in the future ?
 
Thanks for the inputs Doc :) I am already taking some of the precautions you mentioned.

As for increasing milk consumption for calcium intake, my current consumption is zero :P

I am not sure whether it can be called lactose intolerance, but I simply cannot digest plain milk though I never have problems with milk derivatives/products like curd, butter/cheese or even ice cream. If I take a cup of milk in the morning, it feels heavy for the rest of the day and often times I feel nauseated after having milk. The only way I am ever able to consume milk is to dilute it several fold to the point that most people would consider it a bit of milk in water rather than the other way around. I don't consume Coffee/tea either. However I do consume curd on a daily basis, it it good enough? Fruits too I consume occasionally though not on a daily basis.
 
T-M Joint (the joint managing jaw movements) is a notorious and peculiar joint.
Click to expand...

Sometimes when I yawn real wide, my Jaw gets stuck and then I have to try move it sideways (or use my hands) to unsnap it..

Friggin notorious indeed!
 
thetechmind said:
@medpal : i have a friend of mine who has the same issue, the jaw doesnt pop, but it just makes the click sound......its been the same since a young age....now hes in his mid 20's and he still carry's the same problem....but as for him its not a problem.....would there be any issues / problems in the future ?
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its unlikely he will have any problem in forseeable future, just to be carefull he should not excessively open the mouth.

Lord Nemesis said:
Thanks for the inputs Doc :) I am already taking some of the precautions you mentioned.

As for increasing milk consumption for calcium intake, my current consumption is zero :P

I am not sure whether it can be called lactose intolerance, but I simply cannot digest plain milk though I never have problems with milk derivatives/products like curd, butter/cheese or even ice cream. If I take a cup of milk in the morning, it feels heavy for the rest of the day and often times I feel nauseated after having milk. The only way I am ever able to consume milk is to dilute it several fold to the point that most people would consider it a bit of milk in water rather than the other way around. I don't consume Coffee/tea either. However I do consume curd on a daily basis, it it good enough? Fruits too I consume occasionally though not on a daily basis.
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cheese / panir are rich in calcium, so is banana, no need to go for pure milk alternates will also do :D.

superczar said:
Sometimes when I yawn real wide, my Jaw gets stuck and then I have to try move it sideways (or use my hands) to unsnap it..
Friggin notorious indeed!
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You mean you cant close the mouth completely after such yawn, if yes then its problematic.

It could be due to lax capsule of your joint or could be due to subluxated joint. Both are predominantly non problematic conditions, but to be on safer side you should support your jaw while yawning, sneezing, coughing.

Never ever do sideways movements of jaw, its more damaging to the supporting mechanism of joint in form of ligaments, capsule, and lubricating cushion.
 
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