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Jaw pain and other limitations can make a trip to the dentist a real pain when you live with RA. In my new column for HealthCentral, I share tips on how to make it easier:

“DID YOU KNOW that you move your jaw about 2,000 times a day as you eat, brush your teeth, drink, and speak? That’s a lot of painful moments when rheumatoid arthritis (RA) hits your jaw. Jaw pain can be especially excruciating, taking over your entire body and mind, making it hard to move or think and almost impossible to take care of your teeth and oral health. When opening your mouth hurts, how do you tolerate dental maintenance, such as seeing your hygienist or dental work? And going easy on oral hygiene isn’t an option when you live with a disease that puts you at higher risk for periodontal disease. In this column, I will share what helped me to reduce the pain involved in a trip to the dentist or hygienist.

My first symptoms of autoimmune arthritis happened at age 4 and by the time I was a teenager, every joint of my body was affected, including my jaws. This was decades before effective treatment was developed and as a result, I have very limited jaw movement. But lack of treatment wasn’t the only problem. This was also at a time when it was difficult to find information about the little-known aspects of RA, including jaw pain and oral health. None of my past rheumatologists or dentists told me about the oral health conditions that can occur with RA, including periodontal disease, Sjogren’s, or TMJ symptoms.

For a long time, going to the dentist had multiple layers of unpleasantness for me. From the part about going to the dentist which most people don’t enjoy (pointy instruments in your mouth, drilling into your teeth), to the pain of the procedure—both dental and in my jaw—and after the visit, several days’ worth of jaw and face pain. Some of the dentists worked with me to make the experience easier and less painful, others didn’t, instead expecting me to suck up the pain and stay quiet. Through these experiences, I gradually discovered ways of improving my experience of going to the dentist. It may not be the most fun you can imagine, but you can take action to make it easier on your jaws.”

Read my HealthCentral tips on making visits to the dentist easier with RA.