Why Does My Face Hurt? And Is It My Teeth?

Dental emergencies are always concerning, especially so when they’re actively painful. If you’re experiencing facial pain you probably want to do something about that as quickly as possible.

The most important thing to do is to call your dentist and tell them what you’re feeling, but that conversation will be a little bit easier if you go into it with an idea of what you’re dealing with. To help, here’s a guide to some of the most common reasons you could be dealing with facial pain.

Dental Abscesses

Abscesses are small, painful lumps that can sprout up along the gumline in response to infection. Abscesses are not only painful in themselves, but they can also inflame the surrounding area, which can lead to discomfort all around the face.

Because abscesses are the result of infection, they can be accompanied by other symptoms of gum disease—fever, swollen gums, or a foul taste in your mouth.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Your temporomandibular joints are responsible for connecting your jaw to the rest of your face. They’re fairly small, meaning that even minor trauma can cause these joints to come out of alignment. This is known as a TMJ disorder, and it means fairly significant discomfort any time you open or close your mouth.

Because the TMJ are located fairly close to the inner ear, you can also experience some nausea, vertigo, or migraines as a result of these disorders. If you find that your facial pain is accompanied by these symptoms, the TMJ may be the source of your issues.

Sinus Infections

Sinus infections are fairly common, so you might have a good idea of what they can feel like. The sinuses also run all over the face, which means that an infection can also be hard to differentiate from other kinds of facial pain.

Sinus infections the fever and fatigue you might expect from a dental abscess, but the discomfort should feel like a little bit more of a pressure along your face.

As you can see, telling facial pain apart is a little bit difficult. While hopefully this guide helped, you should definitely consult a dental professional regarding the issue you’re facing.

About Our Practice

At DeMartino Dental Group, we believe that it’s the duty of every dentist to give their patients the latest in oral medicine in a calming, comfortable environment. We strive to be our best every single day, and our patients can clearly see the results of all of that hard work. If you’re in pain, we’ll make time for you to give you the help you need.

If you have any questions about facial pain, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (908) 859-5260.