{"id":19777,"date":"2022-07-18T09:22:31","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T14:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=19777"},"modified":"2026-08-14T09:37:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T14:37:43","slug":"how-i-identified-the-cause-of-severe-jaw-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/patient-stories\/how-i-identified-the-cause-of-severe-jaw-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"How I Identified the Cause Of Severe Jaw Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"

When software engineer Brian Vaughn traveled from Brooklyn to Oakland, Calif. for a work trip in May, he didn\u2019t expect to end up at the doctor\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/span>But along the way, he began experiencing pain that stretched from his jaw to his ear. <\/span><\/p>\n

It was uncomfortable enough that he knew he needed some sort of help. He had never experienced this type of pain before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom was a dental assistant for many years and said, \u2018You gotta get this checked out,\u201d he says. However, \u201c<\/span>I was sort of mentally distracted because of work so stopping at a dentist was kind of a daunting task,\u201d he adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At first, Vaughn, 39, tried to find a doctor through his insurance provider\u2019s platform, but came up short, so he turned to Zocdoc, which he had used many times before. He found an appointment just a train-ride away in San Francisco, with <\/span>Dr. Betty Kuang<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After a few X-rays, she ruled out anything serious, and determined that Vaughn was simply clenching his jaw in his sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was mostly [for the] peace of mind,\u201d Vaughn says. \u201cI have no idea how I would’ve found a dentist on short notice if I hadn’t had a site [like Zocdoc].\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n