People in need of cocaine addiction treatment often have other kinds of serious health issues. That’s true because this powerful drug can alter your or your loved ones’ body functions in multiple ways. Some of the effects of cocaine are oral. Your teeth, jaw muscles, and jaw joints may all be impacted. To describe these problems, some people use the slang terms cocaine jaw and coke jaw.
What Is Cocaine Jaw – The Impact of Bruxism
One common source of cocaine-related jaw problems is the onset of bruxism. People affected by this condition involuntarily grind or gnash their teeth together. They may also involuntarily clench their jaw muscles. Over time, bruxism can damage your or your loved one’s oral and facial health by:
- Making your jaw muscles feel sore, tight, or fatigued
- Triggering headaches and face-related pain
- Cracking, chipping, loosening, or flattening your teeth
- Wearing away the enamel that normally protects the surfaces of your teeth
- Making your teeth unusually painful or sensitive to heat or cold
Bruxism’s uncontrolled jaw and mouth movements are the classic indicators of cocaine jaw. These movements typically occur while you sleep. However, they may also be noticeable during the day.
As many as four out of every 10 people who use cocaine long-term will develop bruxism. Why? The drug’s stimulating effects can make chemical changes in your brain that increase risks for this condition. This problem is often dose-dependent. In other words, the more cocaine you use, the worse its potential impact on you. You can make bruxism even more severe by drinking alcohol while using cocaine.
Treating Bruxism and Cocaine Addiction
You can do several things to ease the effects of bruxism. One of the biggest sources of relief is changing any behavior that makes the condition more likely to occur. If you or your loved one use cocaine, that means quitting the drug.
You may be able to do this on your own. However, people addicted to cocaine should seek professional help in a rehab program. When rehab starts, you may need to detox from cocaine. In detox, you receive support and medical care as the drug gradually leaves your system.
Following detox, you can enter active treatment for cocaine-related problems. As a rule, this treatment is psychotherapy-based. Several therapy options specifically focus on helping you change your everyday thoughts, moods, and behavior. In this way, they help undo your motivation to keep using cocaine.
Problems That Can Occur Along with Coke Jaw
Cocaine jaw is not the only common oral health issue for people involved in ongoing cocaine use. For example, you have elevated chances of developing a temporomandibular disorder. That’s the umbrella term for over 30 health conditions that can lead to issues such as:
- Unusual jaw stiffness
- Facial pain that spreads down into your neck
- Jaw locking or limited jaw movement
- Pain when you close or open your mouth
- Tinnitus, i.e., ringing in your ears
- Hearing loss
You may also develop facial sores, holes in the roof of your mouth, or extensive cavities.
What Is Cocaine Jaw – Get More Information at Skywood Recovery
What is cocaine jaw? Typically, it’s another term for bruxism, a condition that triggers uncontrolled mouth and jaw movements. People addicted to cocaine have a serious chance of developing this condition. Want to find out more about bruxism and other cocaine-related health problems? Ask the treatment specialists at Skywood Recovery.
Skywood’s specialists can also help you or your loved one recover from cocaine abuse and addiction. We feature a customized approach that humanizes the detox and treatment process. To find out more about how we can help, call us today at 269.280.4673 or complete our online message form.