Headaches that don’t seem to go away even after treatment with your General Physician may indicate that you are suffering from a “dental headache”.
What causes a Dental Headache?
*Bad Bite–Most dental headaches are caused by tension building up in the region of the face or jaw due to malocclusion or a“bad bite”. Usually, this means that the chewing surfaces of the teeth do not meet along a smooth curve when the jaw is shut. The muscles in the jaw continually overcompensate for this imbalance resulting in pain and soreness that causes a headache.
*Temporomandibular Joint Disorder-this occurs as a result of problems with the mechanism of the jaw and its surrounding muscles. Many times this is caused by an injury to the jaw, like a sports trauma, whiplash, or even having your mouth open too long for a dental procedure can trigger TMJ. If you have “clicking” or “popping” of the jaw, please let us know when you visit us.
*Bruxism-this habit can be another cause of frequent headaches. Grinding your teeth for hours at a time puts the muscles of your face through a workout with no rest. If you find you wake with a headache that goes away shortly after rising, you may be grinding your teeth.
*Aside from the causes listed above, headache pain can also be caused by more familiar dental issues such as cavities, an abscess, or tooth infection.
Be sure to tell us if you are experiencing frequent headaches. We may be able to help you get rid of the pain.
Excerpts from Dental Health Topics 2014