Jaw pain or stiffness that is most noticeable on waking is a characteristic pattern in patients with nocturnal bruxism, or sleep grinding. During sleep, the jaw muscles can generate significant clenching forces without any conscious awareness, causing them to become fatigued, overloaded, and tender by morning. Because the patient is asleep, they often have no idea this is happening until a partner notices the sound, a dentist identifies signs of tooth wear, or the morning symptoms become difficult to ignore. Not everyone with morning jaw pain has bruxism, and not everyone with bruxism develops TMD, which is why a structured evaluation is needed to identify what is actually driving the symptoms.
Written by Dr. Deepa Jayashankar, MDS (Prosthodontics and Implantology), Fellowship in Temporomandibular Disorders, Orofacial Pain and Sleep Medicine (USA), Founder and Chief Dentist, Tooth Firm Dental Care and Implant Center, 1669/A, 14th Main Road, 7th Sector, HSR Layout, Bengaluru 560102. Phone: +91 8088058704.
