Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with jaw

Oral sex and jaw pain.

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:46:11 -0800

How on earth can I give a blowjob to completion without my jaw recoiling in pain? Over the years I've come in contact with a variety of penises of all shapes and sizes that I love to suck. I really really like giving head, and I've been told that I'm pretty good at it. But I cannot, for the life of me, go longer than five minutes or so, so I never get the chance to finish my men off that way, and I would like to be able to every once in a while.

Yes, I take breaks where I continue to use my hand(s) and I'll do some licking or other non-jaw-oriented moves. But if my jaw was hurting before I took a break, as soon as I continue with the mouth in-and-out the pain immediately returns, so breaks don't really help much.

I know the first thing you want to scream is "TMJ!", but I have never had any other symptoms and I really don't think that's the problem.

I also have given head from pretty much every imaginable angle, and none are better than any other.

Lastly, please don't say "oh he's just happy that he's got someone down there to begin with, don't worry about it" or "finish him off with your hand, he'll just be happy to orgasm", etc, etc. I just really want to do this for my own satisfaction.

So, I'm looking for possible exercises, stretches, or techniques that you have used to overcome this problem, or any other suggestions you may have.

Thanks!

Oral surgeon in NYC area

KHinds10 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:18:57 -0800

Can you recommend a good Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon/specialist in the greater NYC area? This is for jaw discomfort and a really screwed up bite. I am looking for someone great and I don't care where they are located, Thanks

Yes really ear pain

shownomercy — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:36:09 -0800

Why does eating yogurt (particulary greek) make the area under my ears hurt? I suppose this could also be called, the upper sides of my jaw. Anyways, for as long as I can remember eating yogurt has made this part of my face ache. It lasts only as long as the yogurt does. I have no health issues that I can think of that involves this.

Liquid diet: alternatives to milkshakes.

flibbertigibbet — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 19:22:42 -0800

In two weeks, I'll get both my jaws broken by my oral surgeon. Because of this, I might end up spending a full month on a liquid diet. Can you help me find some tasty alternatives to milkshakes? I really, really don't want to have to live off of dairy products and Ensure for the duration; it'll make me sick.

Rules of engagement:
1. It must be very very liquid and relatively thin. Yogurt does not count unless I liquify it in a blender (swishing it around with a spoon apparently won't be enough); the dietitian that I saw stated that apple sauce was absolutely borderline, and even then I'd probably have to liquify it. There's a chance I might have to feed myself using a syringe for most of the month, so nothing too thick... it'll clog up my syringe.
2. Absolutely no chunks of anything in it. Can't have chicken soup unless I pick out all of the noodles, and can't have any fruit in my yogurt.
3. Cold is better than hot. The problem is that the front half of my mouth will be numb (perhaps permanently, which, ugh...), so it's more likely that I'll scald myself with hot liquids than before. Which is bad. I'm already going to have a heck of a time eating, a burned mouth would only make this worse.
4. I know I can puree foods; I know about Boost, Ensure etc. I've have two separate professionals go over diet options necessary to keep me alive.
5. I know how to add the calories and protein necessary to maintain my weight. That's fine.
6. It's tasty! I'll be eating a lot of really, really bad-tasting food to get my calories... I need to live a little. :P
7. Can't use a straw. I can't imagine how this would limit my options, but you never know...
8. No booze.

Suggestions I got from my surgeon and my dietitian:
Pureed fruit or juice, strained oatmeal or cream of wheat (diluted), eggnog, milk/pudding thinned with milk, strained cream soups, pureed/liquified meat; baby food; milkshakes; ice cream; chocolate mousse; hot mulled cider; lemonade; blenderized eggs (cooked), thinned with broth.

There's more options, but they're all variations on the milkshake. Too much milkshake = feeling sick, just like how you feel sick if you eat at KFC if you haven't had anything greasy in awhile. I'm not lactose intolerant, I just know my limits.

Please, toss some suggestions my way.

Its snark is worth than its bite

wastelands — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:12:42 -0800

What's the PSI force of the bite of an average adult house cat? Some googling revealed that dogs can produce bites as powerful as 200 to 450 PSI; however, none of the pages talk about how powerful a domestic cat bite is. Does anyone know how powerful a cat's jaws are?

Got a sore jaw: how come?

fantasticninety — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:44:05 -0800

Tender under jaw where it meets the neck. Anyone know why? I'm a teacher and have to speak a lot each day. I've just started back up for the fall. I also wear a tie each day. I've noticed that under my jaw, where it meets my neck, just above the adam's apple it is sore. I can be even more specific, it doesn't feel sore unless I take my thumb and forefinger and press upwards on each side of my jaw just above the adam's apple. Do any of those previous reasons have possibilities? I wonder if the tie strains agains the neck, and if there's another way of tying it which alleviates this pressure.

Disclaimer, I smoke between 2–3 cigarettes a day and am a young man.

I'd go to the doctor, and probably will, but I thought I'd throw it out here before having to go through all the rigamorale.

Ideas for pureed food for a 30-something who is really picky

jb — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:19:01 -0800

Help "a meat-atarian" nourish herself post-jaw surgery. She needs ideas or recipes for pureed-consistency foods "that aren't gross". (Her words in quotation marks - she's very picky about food.) Posted for a friend, who once had a metafilter account, but then had to write a thesis. (She finished, it's all good.)

"I just had jaw surgery. My jaw isn't wired shut, but I have a splint in my mouth and elastics holding the mouth closed-ish. I can open it a little but not enough to put a spoon in. I can stick my tongue out and lick a spoon with food on it. I am not allowed to use a straw and liquids are do-able but not ideal (I actually can't close me mouth to a seal, either). I am not allowed to use a straw. Basically I eat purees. This will continue for 6 weeks and I need to eat in the meantime.

So far I've been eating pureed fruit (apple sauce, apple sauce with other stuff, and frozen pureed watermelon (yum..the best)), pudding, and yogurt. I tried a little babyfood (strawberries great, ham dinner - wierd and gross). It seems to be the case that stuff that's meant to be mushy (apple sauce, yogurt) works a lot better than pureering things that are meant to be solid. Pureed chicken in broth may taste the same as solid chicken, but somehow it's just wrong.

I need to get a little more variety and in particular, get some protein and calories. Basically I'm eating full time and I doubt I'm getting 500 calories a day and most of what I get is sugary.

When I'm not mouth-ally disabled. I'm basically a meat-atarian, though I'll tolerate a side dish to fill me up (not mashed potatoes, don't even go there!). Meet with bread or rice is a staple. If I go out its either for fast food or Asian food (sushi, chinese, thai, dim sum). I realize these aren't options for the next six weeks, but I just mention it to give you an idea what I like to eat.

I'm looking for recipes or food ideas. I'm open to both things meant to be mushy or puree-ing solid foods, presuming you have reason to believe that this would be other than gross. Bonus points for finding a way to make meat edible and delicious."

Is my dentist too crazy to treat me?

schroedinger — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 10:46:45 -0800

I have pretty severe TMJ for my age (early 20s) that has been getting worse. My dentist seems competent (I think), but also kind of . . . kooky. Could other AskMefites, especially TMJ sufferers, weigh in on him and his methods? I have had TMJ since my mid-teens when my braces came off. No grinding or headaches, but my jaw's out of alignment and I've had problems with locking, crunching, and popping that have been getting worse to the point where in the past few months I've gone through periods where it's been extremely difficult to eat or open my mouth because my jaw locks and it takes a good time to move things around enough to get it closed.

I went to my regular dental practice (very good, I love them) a month ago and was seen by a very new dentist who had joined after fifteen years of TMJ work at another practice. I was extremely heartened by this first visit--rather than telling me I'd "grow out of it" (when I certainly wasn't) or that there wasn't much beyond surgery he could do, he displayed a great knowledge of the causes of TMJ, ways to treat it, and basically made me feel like I was being treated by someone who actually knew what they were talking about and could help me. He even made a quick mock bite splint and after putting it in I felt muscles in my neck, jaw, back, and even down my arm relax that I hadn't even known were tight. He said he advocates "chirodontics"--basically treating the jaw as a joint and using chiropractic methods to help treat it. This makes sense, right? He said he couldn't do anything until he talked to the head practitioner of the practice but I should schedule a follow-up. The only thing that kind of set off alarm bells were when towards the end he started talking about "energy medicine" and "clearing out the toxins" and restoring my life energy. But I brushed it away and scheduled a follow-up because of the quality of the rest of the visit.

The second visit a month later got wackier. Much wackier. The entire visit he talked about the necessity of maintaining my energy flow and how toxins were building up in the bad jaw joint. He said he couldn't use the chirodontics because he hadn't convinced the head dentist, and creating a bite splint would be over $2000. He then said I could go to his trained-by-the-head-physician-of-the-Emperor-of-Japan mentor--with whom he'd had a huge falling out so I wasn't allowed to mention the dentist's name--and get a bite splint there. The splint would cost much less, but it would be followed by $300 "energy healing" treatments, herbal treatments, and adjustments. He warned me it would be a nightmare getting an appointment, I'd be spending hours in the waiting room on the day of each appointment, it wouldn't be covered by insurance, but after six sessions of $300 each (plus the bite splint) I'd feel like a million. He then sent me on his way, chalking up my recent tooth sensitivity of the past two weeks to the TMJ too rather than even looking at the possibility of cavities or anything else.

What the heck? Now what do I do? On the one hand, my new dentist seems like a wack job, in between the energy healing business and the sheer amount of drama that seems to be following him (the troubles with his mentor, the hot water he's in with the head of the new practice after only one month). On the other hand, he definitely seems to know what he's doing--that mock bite splint felt great and when he kept out of the energy healing explanations he seemed competent at diagnosing and treating TMJ. So I don't know if I should try to get the super-expensive splint from him, get the cheap splint from the mentor and not do the adjustments, or find someone less crazy. I know I need a splint, and I want to get one from the best to make it less likely to fuck up my bite even more, but I also am afraid to deal with a crazy person.

What has worked for you? Should I drop this guy and find someone else? Just go with the splint? This energy healing stuff is hoo-doo, right?

What kind of specialist do I need?

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:40:52 -0800

What kind of specialist do I need for my jaw/headache problem? From an early age, my jaw has had no real set "bite". I've had to really strain and concentrate to keep my mouth closed and my lips together. I have to pull my lower jaw back about a centimeter and slightly to the left to create a chewing surface. Because my jaws are relatively narrow, I've often bitten my tongue, and had a bit of a speech impediment growing up (and still stumble when tired). Sometimes food or spittle escapes. Jaw moves back and forth into several different positions all the time, and pops continually and quite audibly. At night I feel like I can't sleep and swallow my saliva at the same time; in fact, I was recently diagnosed with a severe case of Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome last year. The real issue this creates has been chronic serious pain in the head and neck area.
I did have braces for about 18 months when I was much younger; when they came off at age 13, orthodontist told parents that my bite problems (which weren't resolved at all by the braces) that I could end up "looking deformed" as I reached maturity. Due to family dynamics and attitudes towards health care, this became a running joke and not much else. Just like clockwork, at age 17, about the time my facial bones reached full maturity, jaw clicking and chronic pain in face, head and neck area began.
I waited for years to see if this would "resolve itself", and then had it dismissed as psychosomatic, and now I am trying to get it addressed properly. I just got back from an oral surgeon who spent 2 minutes looking at my face, had me bite down on a stick, and said that "nothing was wrong with my jay" based on that inspection. Before that, based on the advice of my sleep specialist, I saw an ENT, who said that because I didn't have any bite mark scars on my tongue, that meant my jaw was fine. What kind of doctor am I actually looking for to run the right kind of tests?
Complicating factor: I currently have only medical insurance, not dental. Orthodontics are not possible (again) in the short term--they would only be covered in the context of a medically necessary surgery. I really just need the pain to stop. I've been down several dead ends with this now and just need to know where to go next.

email is at throwawayaccount12345@gmail.com

Blush ain't cutting it.

Anonymous — Sat, 26 May 2007 16:21:25 -0800

Silicone cheekbone/jaw implants: advice or experiences about shaping a new skull? After fairly extensive upper and lower jaw surgery in my early teens to correct the effects of serious TMJ syndrome, I lost what elusive bone structure I had to begin with. The result is that my face is strangely balanced, with a smallish chin (I had a subtle implant as part of the surgery - they did a good job, but it wasn't enough to balance the rest of my face), total lack of jaw definition, and slightly saggy and puffy cheeks that, along with genetic dark circles, make me look constantly tired. I love my facial features, I just don't have the bone structure to support them. I'm female, young (just out of college), and generally happy with myself and my body in other respects; this is just something that I know can be changed, and I can see that if I don't do anything the effects are going to cause me to look older than I am over the next few decades. So I'm wondering: have you had experience with facial implants, and if so, are you happy with the results? Is there any semi-scientific way of predicting the outcome? Any big disadvantages? What sort of recovery times did you need? Is the result very obvious, or will a dramatic new haircut reduce the shock to acquaintances? I've had the chin implant, and was happy with that, but because it was part of a larger surgery I don't feel like it was really a good predictor.

Post wisdom teeth extraction problems

crack — Thu, 24 May 2007 15:28:44 -0800

Seeking advice regarding Wisdom tooth extraction complications. I had four wisdom teeth pulled in early January. The lower right extraction was complicated and it required the tooth being cut up into pieces. I still have numbness on the right half of my tongue, and weakness in my jaw (lower right side). It hurts to chew gum or a bagel on the back end of that right side. I saw my surgeon two months after surgery and he said I could go to a neurologist if I wanted to but it was likely that they would not find anything warranting further surgery or treatment. The numbness is always present but not severe--I could feel a pin prick for example. the surgeon also said that the jaw can take years to fully heal. I know the numbness may or may not ever go away. However, the fact that my jaw still hurts when I chew on that side is disturbing. Is this kind of prolonged jaw weakness something that needs to be checked out or should I just give it more time as my surgeon suggested? Also, would it be worthwhile to see a neurologist about the moderate but ever-present numbness and occasional tingling? Thanks.

Seeking chronic pain treatment facility

bilabial — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 06:11:48 -0800

My boyfriend's mother has suffered from a variety of chronic pain issues for roughly 15 years and is in the process of trying to find a facility that is best suited to her needs. At the moment, her main issue is TMJD, accompanied by severe fibromyalgia, digestive problems, recurring candida, and what some doctors have suggested is Sjogren's syndrome. Needless to say, this is all accompanied by severe depression.

In the past she has been an outpatient at the Mayo Clinic (Florida and Minnesota) as well as an inpatient at the Johns Hopkins Chronic Pain Treatment Program. She lives in a fairly isolated part of Florida, and as such, her access to specialists is limited. Nevertheless, she has traveled extensively to work with jaw specialists, endocrinologists, rheumetologists, and has tried a wide variety of alternative and complementary medicine including massage, myofacial release, rolfing, reiki, aromatherapy, all sorts of natural supplements, yoga, and meditation (she has a strong connection to Buddhism). None provide her much relief.

The several month regimen of detox and physical/occupational therapy at Hopkins made an improvement on her pain level, emotional state and stamina, but it was short lived, lasting for only a few months after her stay there ended. She also felt that their approach was too clinical and narrow for the complex web of problems she has. What she's looking for at this point is a place that has the medical credibility and technology for safe diagnosis and detoxification (she takes a few pain medications and an antidepressant, all to very limited effect), a strong emphasis on alternative/complementary medicine, and an approach that can address the depression (as well as other emotional issues) associated with chronic pain. On the other hand, she's concerned about the lack of standards at certain cure-all spiritual detox centers outside of the U.S. The fact that many of those places don't take insurance is also an issue. My boyfriend's mother and father aren't poor, but a place that takes insurance is highly desirable. Traveling is also taxing on her, so she's looking for places within North America. However, all options, both on and off the continent are welcome.

She's working to address the depression, but again, the resources where she lives are limited. We'd like to keep the discussion focused on the treatment options rather than the validity of her sypmtoms and previous diagnoses.

Strange Jaw Problem

archagon — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:30:21 -0800

There's something wrong with my jaw: whenever I move it to the left or clench my teeth, I feel something bone-like moving in my ear. For the past week or so, my jaw has been behaving strangely. At first, it just ached every now and then, though enough to cause me trouble while eating. I ignored it, thinking that the pain would pass on its own.

A few days ago, the symptoms changed: not only does my jaw ache more often now, but sometimes (and especially when I move it sharply to the left or clench my teeth) I feel something bone-like moving in my ear. The sensation is extremely uncomfortable and doesn't seem to be going away.

What could be causing this?
Is there any chance that something vital - blood vessels, nerves, my brain - is being compressed?

I need a ticket out of twitchy-town

pazazygeek — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 13:44:41 -0800

Can an eye twitch move to your jaw? So, for the past month and a half, I've had intermittent eyelid twitching. It's not actually my eyelid, it's the space between my eyelid and my eyebrow. No big, I have this from time to time and have always recognized it as a cocktail of stress + lack of sleep + lack of potassium (thanks to all of y'all!). Normally, I'd make a mental note to relax, eat a banana, and all would be fine.

Lately, however, the twitching seems to have migrated to my jaw. It happens intermittently, lasts for about 20 seconds, and is MAKINGMESOINCREDIBLYCRAZY. It seems to be the same thing, but in my jaw - but maybe it's another problem entirely? I can't find anything on the internets that says anything about a jaw twitch. Is this common? Has anyone ever experienced it? Should I just eat a banana and take a hot bath to relax, or should I call a doctor about this one?

Jaw on Jaw

defreckled — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 08:30:51 -0800

I've been having incredibly unpleasant jaw pain for the past week. What can I do to make it stop? The muscles in my jaw have been incredibly tight and sore for the past week, and I have no idea how to relax them. I've tried massages, heating pads, Advil, calcium supplements, tons of water, stretches, and meditation. Nothing in my life has recently changed, and I'm currently under a moderate amount of stress (which is completely normal).

I've had nighttime bruxism my entire life, but I wear a night guard and haven't ever had any problems relating to the bruxism. Some of my other sleeping problems include constant unpleasant dreams and a strange form of hold-my-breath apnea. I think the tension may be resulting from something I do while sleeping, but why did it suddenly appear?

I'm currently living in a foreign country so seeing a doctor and sleep clinics and the like would be really difficult. I feel like this is just a matter of relaxation, so I'd like to hear what others have done. I'm looking for things like super jaw relaxing yoga positions and pressure point massage.

Thanks!!! and help!

Chipped a tooth after filling came out, exposed dentin but doesn't hurt

vanoakenfold — Sun, 28 May 2006 07:49:53 -0800

InTheMeantimeFilter: I've got a formerly filled, chipped tooth with exposed dentin that doesn't hurt .. yet. What can I do in the meantime before the dentist visit? About last Tuesday (today is Sunday), I was chewing gum and a filling came out. That day, I got scheduled for a dentist appt -- for JULY (!!, my dentist is very very good and thus very popular) -- but chewing on a jelly bean this last Friday broke off part of the tooth itself so that dentin (pale cartilage-colored structure that is flimsy) is exposed. Pardon the hideous limited color selections used in my craptacular illustration:

It is on the top, left side just behind the canine.

In the meantime (I have not yet told him about the new chippage, being the Memorial weekend, but I'm certain I can probably get it bumped closer with cancellations) what can I do to prevent the eventual and anticipated pain from setting in and not being quite so bad? Is dentin supposed to hurt? I can move it around and it's flimsy, but it doesn't hunt unless I tug up on the little dentin corner piece that will open up like a flap and even then it's just a general soreness.

I've got some Orajel/Anbesol that supposedly makes a coating over any toothache/sores in the mouth to prevent infection (and also in anticipation of needing to numb myself) but is that all I should do? I also plan to use mouthwash throughout the day to be double-darn safe. Would brushing over this dentin damage it and possibly quicken the onset of the terrible pain I am anticipating at the office?

I've had loads of fillings before, and usually do it without injected anaesthetics (nitrous only, set on a special "mike" setting as I am somewhat of a celebrity there for not getting numbed) but I'm afraid I may have to go with a numb on this one, and especially fearful because I hear top-jaw numbs only tooth by tooth while lower-jaw numbs the whole side at a time.

Soft food is still food... right?

heeeraldo — Sat, 06 May 2006 11:13:51 -0800

SoftFoodFilter: how do I retain a somewhat balanced diet? I've just had my wisdom teeth (and a couple others) removed, I'll be having braces put in later this summer, and my jaw will be realigned at some point in the near future (thankfully, no breaking), so I'm doing a little research on soft food diets.

How do I get the "food pyramid" into a blender? Most things I can figure out, but I haven't got a handle on fiber (which is what this was originally about), and I'm also wondering what other tips and/or tricks MeFites may have.

also also: if this helps, 21, male, could lose a few pounds but I'm not sedentary, weakness for dark chocolate, no beef at all (Hinduism).

My jaw has shifted

karmaville — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 21:30:41 -0800

It seems as if my jaw has shifted forward about an inch. How is that possible? On waking Sunday morning, I noticed that my jaw had shifted forward. It took me from a very small overbite to a pronounced underbite. My teeth no longer "fit" together properly.

I have had some minor jaw pain recently, TMJ-like, from a flare of chronic arthritis. It felt like a ball bearing stuck in the hinge causing pain when I bit down. I still have a slight burning sensation and some tightness under my right ear. This has been going on for about two weeks after stopping an anti-inflammatory due to side effects.

Unfortunately, I have neither access to neither my rheumatologist or a dentist for at least a week or so. Is it possible that the joint inflammation is pressing my jaw forward causing the problem? Have you experienced anything similar? Should I seek emergent care?

How can I make the right side of my body feel as great as the left side of my body?

eighth_excerpt — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 12:08:58 -0800

For years, I've had mild soreness at various places on the right side of my body: jaw, shoulder, hand, hip, knee, and foot. Meanwhile, the left side of my body feels perfect. I'm going to be seeing a doctor about this soon but I'd like to hear people's thoughts on this even if YANAD. I'm 29, a righty, formerly a serious soccer player, but no longer involved in strenuous activities, and I never had a serious injury. How can I make the right side of my body feel as great as the left side of my body?

Clicking Jaw...

stevyb — Fri, 13 May 2005 09:18:14 -0800

Anybody ever have this happen: Every once in a while (but more often lately) when I'm eating, my jaw will "crack"right near my right ear and then hurts like a mother*@!$&. What causes this? I've never had my wisdom teeth removed...I'm wondering if that's related or not.....anyone?

Post-Orthodontia

Napierzaza — Mon, 17 Jan 2005 07:13:09 -0800

How long does it take for your teeth to fuse to the jaw and maxilla after having braces? I had braces some five years ago and wore a retainer. I sort of lapsed and have also recently restarted and was wondering what to expect. [mi] My teeth have definitely shifted over the past five years because I have not been wearing the retainer. I was told by the orthodontist that the bone would grow around it. How quickly does the bone grow? Does it grow at all or am I doomed to wear this stuff every night forever?

Why do athletes chew gum?

mdeatherage — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 21:03:16 -0800

Why do athletes chew gum? [no more inside]

Jaw Pain

grumblebee — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 13:28:27 -0800

The TMD thread, below, made me wonder about my odd condition, which sounds a little like TMD, but not quite. I get a pain in my jaw-hinge sometimes after drinking alcohol. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. Once I start to notice it, I know I have to stop drinking right away. If I have another few sips, it will become EXCRUCIATING. Anyone know what this is or how best to deal with it?