You may find it a bit strange that your headaches and oral health align most of the time. What might seem like just a coincidence is actually based on science. As it turns out, there is a direct relationship between the frequency of your headaches and your oral health.
How Can Oral Health Cause Headaches?
Simple oral health issues, such as cavities and infections, may be enough to trigger minor headaches; however, the most common headache associated with your oral health is a tension headache. Tension headaches are caused by muscle strain in the oral area and may range in severity. There can be many culprits that cause this form of headache, including bad bites.
A bad bite is a condition in which your teeth do not properly touch when your mouth is closed. The most common types of bad bites include overbite and underbite. When you have a bite-related issue, your jaw muscles may have to work harder to chew food. As a result of prolonged strain on the jaw muscles, you may experience constant pain.
Headaches caused by strain on your jaw muscles may begin in the teeth and radiate to other regions of your head. Individuals who experience these headaches typically engage in teeth grinding while asleep, have clicking in the jaw joints, or feel sore upon waking up.
The pain felt in your mouth during a headache is caused by the trigeminal nerve, a nerve that controls actions such as biting and chewing. This nerve also addresses sensation felt anywhere on the face. When a nerve is activated, it may send signals to nearby nerves who will then repeat the action. What begins as a slight ache can escalate into a splitting headache. If your jaw muscles are strained, this pain can radiate to nearby regions of your body, such as the neck or shoulder muscles.
As mentioned before, teeth grinding is also a prime suspect of oral health-related headaches. This action not only causes tension in your jaw muscles but can cause temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). TMD are disorders that can usually be diagnosed by a popping or clicking sound upon moving the associated joints. TMD is typically caused by a variety of reasons, including whiplash, trauma to the jaw, or even by opening your mouth too wide.
If you experience headaches, but do not have any of the above conditions, your headaches may be a sign of tooth decay or cavities. Toothaches that trigger migraines are often a telltale sign that you may need to visit us at the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in Ottawa.
What Can I Do When I Am Having Tension Headaches?
Tension headaches are directly caused by tension within the jaw muscles and joints. To combat any symptoms that may arise due to oral health issues, there are a few precautions you can take.
If you have been diagnosed with a bad bite or experience teeth grinding, you should consult with your dental physician at the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in Ottawa. They will assess your concern and advise the appropriate course of action. The most common course of treatment involves medications, dental procedures, or mouth guards. By correcting the cause of your muscle strain, your headaches will eventually subside.
Dental guards are one of the most effective ways to combat oral health issues, such as a bad bite and teeth grinding. They are protective devices meant to cover your teeth, gums, tongue, lips, and cheeks. Typically made of soft plastic, mouth guards are most commonly worn by athletes who may receive trauma to the head or by dental patients who experience jaw-related conditions. Wearing a dental guard while you sleep can prevent undesired effects from excessive teeth grinding. Your dental physician will likely recommend that you wear a dental guard for a length of time until your symptoms subside.
The most important thing you can do to prevent tension headaches is to take care of your oral health. Frequent dental visits are best for revealing cavities and obtaining treatment before the condition worsens. Our dental specialists at the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in Ottawa are a great source for advice on how to care for your teeth and prevent problems before they can occur. If you have any dental health concerns, contact us today to schedule an appointment.
