Menopause and TMJ
Women's HealthMenopause

Can Menopause Cause Jaw Pain?

Can Menopause Cause Jaw Pain?
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Updated on March 9, 2026
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Hot flashes, sleep disruptions, and irritability probably come to mind when you think of the menopause transition. But a decline in estrogen may also affect how women feel pain, including in the face and jaw.

What Is TMD?

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are a group of more than 30 conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw muscles and joints. These disorders are commonly known as TMJ, which refers specifically to the two temporomandibular joints on each side of your jaw.

Common symptoms of TMD include:

  • Pain in the chewing muscles or jaw joints
  • Pain that spreads to your face or neck
  • Jaw stiffness
  • Limited movement or locking of the jaw
  • Painful clicking or popping when opening or closing your mouth
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Hearing loss
  • Dizziness
  • Changes in the way your teeth align
TMD is common and affects up to 12 million people in the United States. Women are twice as likely to develop TMD than men.

How Is Estrogen Related to TMD?

Changes in estrogen and other hormones during menopause, pregnancy, and menstruation are linked to symptoms of TMD, says Jeffry Shaefer, DDS, MPH, assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston.

Research suggests that estrogen plays a role in how you experience pain, including in the jaw, mouth, and face. Lower estrogen levels also increase your risk of bone loss, which may lead to degeneration of the temporomandibular joints. Together, these factors may contribute to jaw pain during menopause.

You may be more likely to have TMD later in perimenopause or if you experience other menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes. A study evaluated the severity of TMD-related pain in 74 women in late menopause transition, early postmenopause, and late postmenopause. Researchers found that women in late menopause transition experienced more intense TMD pain.

While lower estrogen levels in menopause are associated with jaw, face, and mouth pain, there isn’t enough evidence yet to confirm whether this directly causes TMD.

What Can You Do if You Have Jaw Pain During Menopause?

Research is ongoing into the effectiveness of hormone therapies like estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for treating TMD.

 But lifestyle changes to manage menopause symptoms — such as avoiding hot flash triggers, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular physical activity — may help reduce jaw pain.

Additionally, oral treatments like using a customized mouthguard can prevent you from grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw, which could worsen TMJ pain.

 “Patients experiencing TMJ pain during menopause can ask their dentist about reversible treatments,” says Dr. Shaefer. If you take steps to manage the acute symptoms of TMD, they are less likely to become chronic, he adds.

You can find dentists and physical therapists specializing in TMD care through the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP).

The Takeaway

  • Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw muscles and joints. Women are twice as likely to develop TMD than men.
  • Lower estrogen levels during perimenopause increase your risk of bone loss and can change the way you feel pain, which may contribute to TMD.
  • There currently isn’t enough evidence to confirm that low estrogen directly causes TMD. But managing other menopause symptoms and seeking oral treatments can help reduce jaw pain.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. TMD (Temporomandibular Disorders). National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. November 2025.
  2. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders. Cleveland Clinic. July 22, 2025.
  3. Zieliński G et al. Association Between Estrogen Levels and Temporomandibular Disorders: An Updated Systematic Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. September 12, 2024.
  4. Galhardo APM et al. Does Temporomandibular Disorder Correlate With Menopausal Symptoms? Menopause. June 2022.
  5. Alam MK et al. Correlating Estrogen Replacement Therapy and Temporomandibular Disorders: A Comprehensive Review Following PRISMA Principles and Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. BMC Oral Health. January 16, 2024.
  6. Menopause. Cleveland Clinic. June 24, 2024.
  7. Salamon M. Beyond Hot Flashes. Harvard Health Publishing. September 1, 2022.
Meet Our Experts
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Elizabeth Simpson, DDS

Elizabeth V. Simpson, DMD

Medical Reviewer

Elizabeth V. Simpson, DMD, is an associate dentist with Meridian Health Services in Indiana and adjunct faculty at the Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis. The bulk of her practice has been in the public health setting.

She attended the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a bachelor's degree in preprofessional studies. After college, she worked in the Indianapolis public schools as a bilingual teaching assistant, which is where she decided to become a dentist. She graduated from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2010 and did a general practice residency at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry.

Dr. Simpson has completed three leadership programs. In one for the Indiana Dental Association, she started a mentoring program pairing high school students from underrepresented groups who were interested in pursuing dentistry with dental students from underrepresented groups from the Indiana University School of Dentistry. In an American Dental Association program, she started a toothbrushing program at an elementary school in Indianapolis. And finally, she participated in the NextGen Leadership Program as former full-time faculty at Indiana University at the  Indianapolis campus.

Simpson has written numerous blogs for the American Dental Association and has participated as a speaker and panelist at several conferences, including for the Christian Dental Association, American Student Dental Association, National Network for Oral Health Access, and American Association of Women Dentists, as well as for the American Dental Association's SmileCon.

She was a member of the American Dental Association's Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention from 2020 to 2024, leading the council as chair from 2023 to 2024.

She is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational French and Portuguese.

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Becky Upham, MA

Becky Upham

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Becky Upham has worked throughout the health and wellness world for over 25 years. She's been a race director, a team recruiter for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a salesperson for a major pharmaceutical company, a blogger for Moogfest, a communications manager for Mission Health, a fitness instructor, and a health coach.

Upham majored in English at the University of North Carolina and has a master's in English writing from Hollins University.

Upham enjoys teaching cycling classes, running, reading fiction, and making playlists.

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