Facial Pain Common in Adults

The American Dental Association reported that >15% ofadults have chronic facial pain. Some common symptoms individualsexperience include pain in or around the ear, jaw tenderness,clicking or popping noises when the mouth opens,headaches, and neck pain. Because all of these symptoms donot share a common cause, a dentist can help pinpoint thesource of the pain with an exam and dental x-rays. Oftentimes,the pain is the result of a sinus problem, toothache, or earlystageperiodontal disease. Sometimes the pain is associatedwith facial muscles, the jaw, or the temporomandibular joint. Therecommended treatments for facial pain may include stressreducingexercises, muscle relaxants, or a mouth guard to preventteeth grinding.