Coke Jaw: Myths and Realities

What You Really Need to Know About Coke Jaw and How to Prevent It

Cocaine users often find that they have intense jaw pain and issues with their mouth, particularly if they are rubbing cocaine powder on their gums or smoking it. One term that loosely encompasses the conditions that result is “coke mouth.” However, many regular cocaine users are finding that “coke jaw” is a bit more descriptive of their pain.

Rehabs Of Armerica can help you take the first steps toward treatment and recovery from a substance use issue. Before your jaw pain becomes unbearable, allow us to help you find the perfect treatment center to minimize your symptoms and give you the best chance of recovery!

What Exactly is Coke Jaw and Where Does it Come From?

When it comes to drug addiction, there are often physical effects that manifest themselves after extended use. Coke jaw is the side effect of cocaine abuse and it can have disastrous consequences for the mouth. This term is often used to describe the overall movements of the mouth of someone who has a cocaine addiction.

Oftentimes, people who suffer from coke jaw will struggle with clenching their teeth together. Other times, they might experience a rapid side-to-side movement of the jaw. Either way, it can cause some long-term effects on the jaw. It is important to note that any movement associated with coke jaw is involuntary.

While it might go without saying that coke jaw is caused by cocaine abuse and cocaine addiction, it helps to have a thorough understanding of how it impacts the body. Taking the drug has a huge impact on your central nervous system, speeding it up and causing physical reactions. In this case, the physical reaction you can expect to see surfaces in the jaw.

Side Effects of Coke Jaw: More Severe than Just Discomfort

The signs and symptoms of coke jaw can be difficult to pinpoint as there are simply so many of them. Aside from the involuntary movements of the mouth, a person dealing with substance abuse may start to notice some pain and issues with the teeth. Drug abuse often leads people to neglect their oral health, but this condition will more severely impact the mouth.

One of the first issues to occur are temporomandibular disorders (TMD). This group of disorders relates to the point of the jaw where it connects to the skull. If you or a loved one has trouble opening your mouth wide and has difficulty eating, it could be a sign of TMD. Additionally, it can cause other issues like headaches, joint pain, and even sore muscles in the face.

Moving the jaw from side to side often leads to teeth grinding. If you already struggled with bruxism (the technical term for excessive teeth grinding), it could be worsened by the side effects of cocaine use. After wearing down the enamel, you might see other dental issues such as dental erosion or brittle or broken teeth.

Side Effects that Can Result from Cocaine Use Along with Coke Jaw

In addition to the painful symptoms of coke jaw, you should be on the lookout for other signs and symptoms that your loved one is struggling with an addiction. Cocaine is not the only potential cause of jaw pain or erratic movements of the jaw. Several other symptoms often accompany it to make it clearer that cocaine is the cause.

Look for other symptoms such as:

• Constricted blood vessels
• Mood swings (can range from extreme euphoria to extreme irritability)
• High blood pressure
• Bleeding from the nasal cavity
• Dilated pupils
• Increased heart rate
• Runny nose

Heavy drug addicts may also have intense cravings for more drug use that distracts them from their other responsibilities. Note any unusual behavior along with the jaw pain, movements of the jaw, and any of the other oral problems that we will cover below.

Other Oral Health Concerns Associated with Coke Jaw

Experiencing the effects of coke jaw pain is often not the only issue that you will find when you or a loved one decides to enter addiction treatment. Coke mouth is an equally powerful source of tooth decay that can compound and magnify the effects of coke jaw. That being said, coke mouth is a slightly different concern than coke jaw.

Coke mouth encompasses the entirety of your oral health and can result in common symptoms like:

• Gum disease including receding gums
• Halitosis stemming from oral infections
• Dental erosion and tooth decay
• Issues with the oral palate such as ulcers or holes
• Dry mouth
• Bleeding gums

Smoking crack cocaine can also result in sores on the lips and around the mouth which can lead to the transmission of HIV.

It is not uncommon to find that people who have periodontal disease or issues with the mouth also have missing teeth. Cocaine use impacts the entire body, so be sure to pay careful attention to what sort of medical attention you or a loved one might require.

If you or a loved one are experiencing these effects, it could be time to investigate cocaine addiction treatment. Keep in mind that some of these issues are common even to people who do not abuse substances, so be sure to look for the warning signs of drug abuse before chalking all gum disease or dry mouth up as the signs of cocaine addiction.

Is Coke Jaw a Treatable Condition?

If you feel that your jaw has deteriorated under the effects of cocaine use, you may be wondering whether it is treatable. The good news is that people can often move past the signs and symptoms of coke jaw if they treat the underlying addiction. Cocaine addiction treatment is crucial to eliminate the constant pain and unpleasant side effects of cocaine.

Get Help from a Rehab Center

The best thing to do is to enroll in a rehab facility that has a medical detox. This allows you to come off of the drug under controlled conditions. You will be treated by a medical professional who can do their best to keep you comfortable and safe while you detox.

Once the drug is fully out of your system, you can segue into a less restrictive setting for an inpatient stay. This will help to equip you with coping skills and dig deep into the underlying reason for your cocaine use. You will attend support groups, individual therapy, and more depending on which facility we can pair you with at Rehabs Of Armerica.

When you are tired of living in pain from your coke jaw, it might be best to consider what treatments are available that can improve your pain and your quality of life prior to a cocaine overdose.

Get Dental Help After the Addiction is Treated

Take the lead and get help for your cocaine use first. Once this has been addressed, you can start to work with a skilled dentist to restore your smile and mend any broken teeth, poor saliva flow, teeth grinding disorder, and more.

Treatment is possible when you can eliminate the conditions that contribute to jaw pain and dental erosion. While it will not be easy, you will have much more freedom from pain when you can get the addiction or substance use issue under control.

Get Help for Coke Jaw Early: Find Help Now!

Drug use is a tricky thing to treat, even if you do not have the physical manifestation of coke jaw to compound it. If you are a cocaine abuser or your loved one is struggling with substance use, then you need to reach out to Rehabs Of Armerica today. We can help pair you with the perfect facility that can supervise your medical detox and start you on the path to healing and sobriety.

With early treatment, you can improve the pain associated with coke jaw and treat the underlying cause so that it never returns. Let us help you take the first steps toward your recovery now, and reach out for a confidential discussion of options today!

Charles F.( Content Coordinator )

Charles F. has been an active part of the Florida recovery community for over 5 years. He began as a behavioral health technician at an addiction treatment facility in Ocala, Florida and has since begun training as a Licensed Addiction and Chemical Dependency counselor in Boca Raton. Charles’ passion involves the promotion of recovery and helping spread the hope of recovery to as many readers as possible!