Jaw Pain After a Car Accident: When It Could Be Your TMJ
A few days after the crash, chewing a sandwich hurts. Your jaw clicks when you open your mouth, you wake up with tired cheeks or you feel pain in front of your ear. You did not hit your face, so you do not connect it to the accident.
But the jaw does not need a direct blow to get hurt. The same sudden movement that causes whiplash can strain the joint that connects your jaw to your skull: the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ.
Get urgent care if:
Your jaw is locked open or closed · your teeth suddenly do not fit together the way they used to · there is swelling or a deformity in your face or jaw · you have numbness in your face, lip or chin · you hit your face or head and have a headache, vomiting, confusion or drowsiness.
These signs can point to a fracture, a dislocation or a head injury and need to be seen the same day.
How a crash can hurt your jaw
There are a few common ways:
- The whiplash movement. When your head snaps forward and back, the jaw can move abruptly with it. The joint, its small cartilage disc and the chewing muscles can be strained.
- A direct blow. Hitting the steering wheel, the airbag or the window can bruise or injure the joint and the bone.
- Clenching from tension and pain. After a stressful event, many people clench or grind their teeth, especially at night, and that overloads the joint even more.
Jaw pain and neck pain often go together and can feed each other. The neck muscles and the chewing muscles work as a team, so treating one usually helps the other.
Common symptoms
| Symptom | What you may notice |
|---|---|
| Joint pain | Pain in front of the ear, in the jaw or in the cheek, worse when chewing or talking |
| Noises | Clicking, popping or a grating sound when opening or closing the mouth |
| Limited opening | You cannot open your mouth all the way, or the jaw goes to one side |
| Muscle tension | Tired, tight cheeks or temples, especially in the morning |
| Pain that spreads | Headaches, earache or a feeling of fullness in the ear, without an ear infection |
A painless click on its own is common and is not always a problem. What matters is pain, limited movement or a change since the accident. If you also have headaches, read about headaches after a car accident.
How to protect your jaw while it heals
The U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) recommends starting with simple, reversible measures:
Day-to-day jaw care
- Eat soft foods and cut food into small pieces.
- Avoid chewing gum, hard or very chewy foods and taking big bites.
- Avoid opening your mouth very wide: support your chin when you yawn.
- Apply a cold pack or moist heat on the side of your face, as your provider directs.
- Keep your teeth slightly apart and your jaw relaxed during the day.
- Pay attention to clenching: notice if you do it while driving, working or sleeping.
- Do not rest your chin on your hand or hold the phone between your shoulder and ear.
Avoid irreversible treatments at the start. The NIDCR advises caution with procedures that permanently change your bite or your jaw before trying conservative care. For many people, the pain improves with time, self-care and treatment of the muscles of the neck and jaw.
How it is evaluated and treated
The provider checks how far you can open your mouth, whether the jaw moves to one side, which muscles hurt and whether there are noises in the joint. They also look at your neck, because the two problems are often linked. If a fracture or significant joint damage is suspected, they may order imaging: see X-ray, MRI or CT after a car accident.
Treatment may include gentle jaw and neck exercises, soft tissue work, heat or cold and, in some cases, a referral to a dentist or specialist for a night guard if you grind your teeth.
The short version
Jaw pain after a crash is common and is often connected to whiplash and clenching. A locked jaw, a bite that changed or numbness in the face need urgent care. For everything else: soft foods, small bites, a relaxed jaw and an evaluation. And tell your provider about it, so it is documented along with your other injuries.
Sources
- NIDCR — TMD (temporomandibular disorders) (symptoms, causes and conservative care).
- Mayo Clinic — TMJ disorders.
This article is informational and does not replace an individual medical evaluation. If you were in a car accident in the Salt Lake City area, Car Injury Clinic (Taylorsville, UT) offers same-day evaluation, free transportation and coordination with your attorney. Call 385-242-8571 or book an appointment.
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