Last updated: October 2026
Most jaw pain comes from the jaw joint and the chewing muscles around it, a common problem called temporomandibular disorder (TMD), often made worse by clenching or grinding when stressed. Toothache, wisdom teeth, sinusitis and earache are other usual causes. TMD normally settles with soft food, warmth or cold and rest. Jaw pain with chest pain needs 999.
Below: a quick “where it hurts” table, jaw pain on one side, pain when chewing or yawning, clicking, the stress link, what helps, a 5-minute daily jaw-relaxation routine and exactly who to call.
Call 999 now if jaw pain comes with chest pain or tightness, pain spreading to your arm or neck, shortness of breath, sweating or feeling sick. The NHS lists chest pain spreading to the arms, neck or jaw as a heart attack symptom. Don’t drive yourself to A&E. Also call 999 or go to A&E if your face or mouth is badly swollen and you find it hard to breathe, swallow or open your mouth. See who to call for everything else.
Where it hurts, likely cause and what to do
This table is a guide to the most likely explanation, not a diagnosis. If you’re not sure, a dentist is usually the best first stop for jaw and tooth pain.
| Where it hurts and what you notice | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dull ache in front of the ear, clicking, worse when chewing or stressed | Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) | Self-care below; dentist or GP if it isn’t improving |
| Tight, tired jaw on waking, sore teeth, headache at the temples | Clenching or grinding (bruxism) | Dentist; see our teeth grinding guide |
| One tooth throbs, hurts when you bite, or is sensitive to hot and cold | Toothache, decay or a cracked tooth | Dentist if it lasts more than 2 days |
| Intense toothache with a swollen face or jaw, bad taste or a high temperature | Dental abscess | Urgent dentist or NHS 111 |
| Back of the jaw, sore swollen gum behind the last molar | Wisdom tooth problems | Dentist |
| Upper jaw and cheeks, blocked nose, often after a cold | Sinusitis | Pharmacist first |
| Pain in or around the ear, maybe a temperature or reduced hearing | Ear infection (or TMD, which is often felt as earache) | Pharmacist; urgent GP or 111 if it lasts more than 2 to 3 days |
| Stiff, aching joint, sometimes grating or crunching | Wear and tear (arthritis) in the jaw joint | GP or dentist |
| Sudden electric-shock pain in the jaw, teeth or gums on one side, lasting seconds | Trigeminal neuralgia | GP |
| Jaw pain when eating or talking, with headaches, a tender scalp or blurred or double vision | Temporal arteritis | Urgent GP or NHS 111 |
| Jaw pain with chest pain, breathlessness, sweating or arm pain | Possible heart attack | Call 999 |
Jaw pain and earache often overlap because the jaw joint sits just in front of the ear. If a sore throat came first, see sore throat remedies; if blocked sinuses followed a cold, cold or flu may help.
TMD: the most common cause of jaw pain
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge in front of each ear where your lower jaw meets your skull, with a small disc of cartilage between the bones. TMD (often just called “TMJ”) is the umbrella name for pain and stiffness in this joint and its chewing muscles. The NHS lists the main symptoms as pain around the jaw, ear and temple, clicking or popping, headaches around the temples, difficulty opening your mouth fully and the jaw locking.
It’s common. A Royal College of Surgeons of England patient guide estimates about 1 in 15 people in the UK have TMD, mostly aged 20 to 40. A 2021 review of 21 studies found about 31% of adults met research criteria for a jaw joint disorder, many with nothing worse than a click.
The NHS says TMD is not usually serious and generally gets better on its own. Causes include teeth grinding, wear and tear, a blow to the face, stress and an uneven bite. Because it can cause headaches around the temples, read it alongside our guide to tension headaches.
Jaw pain on one side
Pain on just one side usually points to something local:
- TMD on that side: a dull ache in front of the ear, worse after chewing.
- A tooth problem: decay, a cracked tooth, an abscess or a wisdom tooth.
- An uneven bite or missing back teeth, which NHS hospital advice lists as reasons the jaw muscles get overworked.
- Clenching at night. If your jaw is worst first thing, see our guides to the best sleeping position and waking up with a headache.
- Trigeminal neuralgia: the NHS describes sudden, severe, electric-shock pain in the jaw, teeth or gums, usually on one side and lasting seconds to about 2 minutes.
Many people worry about left-sided jaw pain because of the heart link. What matters most is what comes with it: chest pain, breathlessness, sweating or feeling sick means call 999, whichever side hurts. Our guide to anxiety chest pain explains the differences, but always get chest pain checked.
Pain when chewing or yawning, and a clicking jaw
Gloucestershire Hospitals’ oral and maxillofacial team explains that most jaw joint problems are made worse by chewing and aggravated at times of stress. Tired muscles tighten up, and wide movements like yawning stretch them further. That’s why the NHS advises soft food, not biting with your front teeth and not yawning too wide.
Why does my jaw click?
A click usually means the cartilage disc has slipped slightly forward and pops back as you open, and it sounds loud because the joint is right next to your ear. It’s very common: in the 2021 review, about 26% of adults had this kind of disc slip. The Gloucestershire leaflet says jaw joint problems are not usually serious and don’t lead on to other problems. Get it checked if clicking comes with pain, locking or difficulty opening your mouth.
Jaw pain after a tooth extraction
After wisdom tooth removal, the NHS says your jaw may be sore and stiff for up to 2 weeks. Pain and swelling that get worse, or that painkillers don’t help, need an urgent call to your dentist.
Jaw pain and stress
Stress is one of the biggest drivers of jaw pain. When you’re tense, you tend to clench your teeth during the day or grind them at night without knowing it. A 2020 review found people under stress had about twice the odds of bruxism (OR 2.07), though the evidence was rated low certainty. The NHS lists stress and anxiety as the most common cause of teeth grinding. Nail biting and holding things like hair grips between your teeth also overwork the jaw.
If your jaw is one of several places tension shows up, along with a stiff neck or headaches behind the eyes, look at the stress itself: see stress symptoms. Night-time grinding, mouth guards and children are covered in our teeth grinding (bruxism) guide.
What helps jaw pain
For TMD, the NHS recommends these self-care steps:
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Eat soft food, like pasta, omelettes and soup | Chew gum or pen tops |
| Hold a wrapped ice pack or heat pack to your jaw, whichever feels better | Bite food with your front teeth |
| Gently massage the sore jaw muscles | Yawn too wide |
| Find ways to relax | Bite your nails |
| Take paracetamol or ibuprofen if you need to | Clench: apart from when eating, your teeth should be apart |
- Cold or heat: the NHS suggests frozen peas in a tea towel for no more than 5 minutes at a time, or a wrapped hot water bottle for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day.
- Painkillers: ask a pharmacist which suits you, as some aren’t safe for everyone, for example in pregnancy. The Royal College of Surgeons guide suggests using them for less than 5 days, alongside self-care.
- Cut back on caffeine and smoking, which the same guide says can make TMD worse. See caffeine withdrawal for cutting down gently.
- A mouth guard from a dentist can help if you clench or grind: an add-on to self-care, not a replacement.
Self-care is the main treatment, not a stopgap: a 2026 meta-analysis of randomised trials found self-managed approaches such as home exercise gave a clinically meaningful reduction in TMD pain. If it doesn’t settle, a GP may suggest stronger painkillers, a physiotherapist for jaw exercises, or a psychologist if stress is making it worse.
A 5-minute daily jaw-relaxation routine
This combines NHS self-care advice with the jaw exercise used by Gloucestershire Hospitals’ oral surgery team. Do it once or twice a day and stop if anything causes sharp pain.
- Warm up (2 minutes). Hold a warm flannel or wrapped hot water bottle against the sore side.
- Check your resting position (20 seconds). Teeth apart, jaw loose, lips lightly closed. This is where your jaw should sit all day.
- Massage (1 minute). Use your fingertips in slow circles on the chewing muscles in front of your ears and along your cheeks.
- Controlled opening (1 minute). Sit upright. Rest your tongue tip on the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth and slide it back as far as is comfortable. Keeping it there, slowly open until your tongue starts to pull away. Hold 5 seconds, close, relax 5 seconds, repeat. Use a mirror to check your jaw opens straight down without clicking.
- Slow breathing (1 minute). Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4, and let your shoulders drop. This is box breathing.
The Gloucestershire team says the exercise may feel harder at first, and done regularly over 2 to 3 weeks it can help your jaw open more smoothly with fewer clicks. Through the day, check your teeth are apart. For a longer wind-down, try progressive muscle relaxation, or our tips on how to calm down when you catch yourself clenching.
When to get help, and who to call
Call 999 or go to A&E
- Jaw pain with chest pain or tightness, pain spreading to your arms or neck, breathlessness, sweating or feeling sick: this could be a heart attack. While you wait, the NHS advises sitting down to rest and taking a 300mg aspirin if you have one and aren’t allergic to it.
- Swelling in your face, mouth or neck that makes it hard to breathe, swallow, speak or open your mouth, or swelling around your eye.
Urgent dentist or NHS 111
- You think you have a dental abscess: intense toothache, a swollen face or jaw, a bad taste or a high temperature. Don’t go to a GP, as they can’t give dental treatment.
- Severe or worsening pain and swelling after a tooth extraction.
Urgent GP appointment or NHS 111
- You can’t eat or drink.
- Your jaw locks, or you can’t open your mouth fully.
- Jaw pain when eating or talking with frequent severe headaches, a tender scalp or temples, or vision problems such as double vision. These can be signs of temporal arteritis, which the NHS says needs urgent treatment because it can lead to sight loss or stroke if not treated quickly.
See a dentist
- Toothache lasting more than 2 days, or not eased by painkillers.
- You grind or clench and have tooth damage, or pain in your jaw, face or ear.
See a GP
- Jaw pain that hasn’t started to improve after about 2 weeks of self-care, or keeps coming back. If other joints ache too, see joint pain.
- Stress or anxiety is driving the clenching and you’d like help with it.
Where our products fit (honestly)
No supplement is a treatment for jaw pain or TMD. Soft food, rest for your jaw, the routine above and the right professional come first.
If stress and poor sleep are part of your picture, a calmer evening routine helps. Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is a berry-flavoured evening drink with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate, glycine and L-theanine. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to normal psychological function. Read more in magnesium and muscles.
Our products are for adults (18+) only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you take prescribed medicines, check with your pharmacist before adding a supplement.
FAQs
Why does my jaw hurt on one side?
Usually TMD (the jaw joint and chewing muscles), clenching, a tooth problem such as decay, an abscess or a wisdom tooth, or sinusitis or an ear infection on that side. Call 999 if it comes with chest pain, breathlessness or sweating.
Can stress cause jaw pain?
Yes. Stress makes many people clench or grind their teeth, often without noticing, which tires the jaw muscles. The NHS lists stress as a cause of TMD and the most common cause of teeth grinding.
Is jaw pain a sign of a heart attack?
It can be. The NHS lists chest pain that spreads to the arms, neck or jaw as a heart attack symptom. Call 999 if jaw pain comes with chest pain or tightness, breathlessness, sweating or feeling sick.
How long does jaw pain last?
The NHS says TMD usually gets better without treatment, and most people feel better after a few weeks of simple self-care. Jaw joint problems can take a few months to settle fully. Toothache lasting more than 2 days needs a dentist.
Should I see a dentist or a GP for jaw pain?
See a dentist for tooth pain, swelling, a suspected abscess, wisdom teeth or grinding. See a GP if jaw pain isn’t improving after about 2 weeks of self-care, or urgently if your jaw locks, you can’t eat, or you have headaches or vision problems.
Is a clicking jaw bad?
A painless click is very common and usually harmless: the cartilage disc in the joint is slipping and popping back. Get it checked if it comes with pain, locking or difficulty opening your mouth.
Sources
- NHS. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
- NHS. Heart attack.
- NHS. Dental abscess, Toothache and Wisdom tooth removal.
- NHS. Temporal arteritis and Trigeminal neuralgia.
- NHS. Teeth grinding (bruxism).
- Royal College of Surgeons of England, Faculty of Dental Surgery. Jaw problems (TMD): what you need to know (PDF).
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Advice for patients with jaw joint problems (PDF, reviewed January 2025).
- Valesan LF et al (2021). Prevalence of temporomandibular joint disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Oral Investigations.
- Chemelo VDS et al (2020). Is there association between stress and bruxism? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology.
- Mohr J et al (2026). Exploring the efficacy of self-managed treatments for temporomandibular disorders: the role of home exercise and digital therapies. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you’re worried about jaw pain, speak to a dentist, GP or pharmacist, and call 999 if it comes with chest pain. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex.
