Since I have been pregnant, my jaw is constantly clicking and sometimes locking, which is painful and it didn't used to hurt. I have a hard time opening wide. Anyone else notice that pregnancy causes your TMJ to act up?
Missed miscarriage discovered at 16 weeks on 10/11/10. Baby measuring 12 weeks. Natural miscarriage 10/12/10. We will miss you forever.
Chemical pregnancy on June 2012.
At the dentist office I work at, I haven't seen pregnant patients that have mentioned but it does make since. During pregnancy, joints/ligaments loosen due to hormones. This could make TMJ issues worse. Do you have a splint/nightguard that you wear?
YUP! And it sucks a big one. I am lucky enough that the girl that does my Pre-natal massage also does jaw work to relieve TMJ pain. She rocks. My mouth guard just wasn't cutting it anymore. You should call around to a few massage therapist to see if they do TMJ work. It's a little weird at first b/c she puts her hands in your mouth (she wears gloves) but it works.
At the dentist office I work at, I haven't seen pregnant patients that have mentioned but it does make since. During pregnancy, joints/ligaments loosen due to hormones. This could make TMJ issues worse. Do you have a splint/nightguard that you wear?
I don't have a nightguard, but I don't normally grind my teeth or do anything my sleep that would effect it, though it is only left side and that's how I have been sleeping.
I have always had an issue with this since I have a slight overbite. My dentist always said the only thing I could do was surgery and it wasn't a big enough deal to risk changing my looks. Normally I deal with it fine. But lately it's like my jaw wants to fly all over the place and it locks then cracks when I force it back, which is what hurts. If I pay attention and don't open my mouth too wide for a few days, it starts to feel better, but the shifting is constant.
Missed miscarriage discovered at 16 weeks on 10/11/10. Baby measuring 12 weeks. Natural miscarriage 10/12/10. We will miss you forever.
Chemical pregnancy on June 2012.
Mine has actually been better - but I also just started using a night guard about a month before my BFP -- so who knows!
ETA: I do not grind my teeth at all, the night guard is to help from possible clenching at night to remove some stress from my jaw. And it really does help. (even though getting "fitted" for one SUCKED!)
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I have noticed the same... luckily mine hasn't been locking... but it is clicking constantly... I can hardly eat without noticing it... luckily, the only person who pays enough attention to it is my baby's father... no one else really notices but me and him!
Re: TMJ (jaw clicking and locking) worse with pregnancy
YUP! And it sucks a big one. I am lucky enough that the girl that does my Pre-natal massage also does jaw work to relieve TMJ pain. She rocks. My mouth guard just wasn't cutting it anymore. You should call around to a few massage therapist to see if they do TMJ work. It's a little weird at first b/c she puts her hands in your mouth (she wears gloves) but it works.
I don't have a nightguard, but I don't normally grind my teeth or do anything my sleep that would effect it, though it is only left side and that's how I have been sleeping.
I have always had an issue with this since I have a slight overbite. My dentist always said the only thing I could do was surgery and it wasn't a big enough deal to risk changing my looks. Normally I deal with it fine. But lately it's like my jaw wants to fly all over the place and it locks then cracks when I force it back, which is what hurts. If I pay attention and don't open my mouth too wide for a few days, it starts to feel better, but the shifting is constant.
Mine has actually been better - but I also just started using a night guard about a month before my BFP -- so who knows!
ETA: I do not grind my teeth at all, the night guard is to help from possible clenching at night to remove some stress from my jaw. And it really does help. (even though getting "fitted" for one SUCKED!)