Many patients don’t know that tension headaches are a dental concern worth reporting to their dentist. However, many tension headaches are caused by dental issues. Missing teeth, misaligned bite patterns, and jaw pain are all known to cause tension headaches. Luckily, we provide headache treatment in Westminster, MD.
While problems like TMJ and missing teeth may seem unrelated to headaches, they can strain your facial and mouth muscles. This extra strain can cause headaches and a variety of other symptoms. If you experience tension headaches often, mention this to Dr. Paul Bowersox at your next dental appointment. He will evaluate you for any underlying dental issues causing your headaches.
Headache Treatment in Westminster, MD
Headaches can be a real pain, especially when they affect your daily life. However, we provide several effective treatments that can help relieve headache pain, particularly if issues with your teeth or jaw cause your headaches:
Bite Equilibration
This method aims to correct how your teeth come together when you bite. Sometimes, an uneven bite can lead to tension in the jaw muscles, causing headaches. By adjusting the surfaces of your teeth, your dentist can help create a balanced bite. This can reduce the strain on your jaw and help prevent headaches from occurring.
Treatments that can create an even bite can include Invisalign, braces, bonding, or crowns. Worn, damaged, and crooked teeth can lead to headaches because they increase stress on your jaw. This facial tension radiates and creates headaches.
Nightguards
TMJ nightguards are another useful option for headache relief. TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, which connects your jaw to your skull. Many people grind their teeth or clench their jaws, especially during sleep. This can put a lot of pressure on the TMJ and lead to headaches.
A nightguard is a custom-made device that you wear while sleeping. It helps keep your jaw in the right position and protects your teeth from grinding. By using a nightguard, you can reduce tension in your jaw and lower your chances of developing headaches.
Restorative Treatment
When you lose a tooth, it can affect your bite and lead to misalignment in your jaw. This misalignment can cause tension and discomfort, resulting in headaches. Restoring missing teeth with dental implants, bridges, or dentures can help restore proper alignment and function. Once you have a balanced bite, you reduce the stress on your jaw muscles, which can help prevent or reduce the frequency of headaches.
Tension Headache FAQs
Learn more about headache treatment in Westminster, MD, with answers to these common questions:
Why would missing or crooked teeth cause headaches?
Because missing and crooked teeth throw off your bite pattern, this places extra strain on your surrounding teeth, gums, and jaw. This means that your mouth muscles overall are working harder to perform simple tasks like chewing or speaking than they are supposed to.
Throughout the day, as you eat and speak, your mouth muscles struggle to support your compromised teeth. This extra strain can eventually lead to tension headaches.
How do you treat crooked or missing teeth?
If your teeth are misaligned, we can offer ClearCorrect to help straighten them into a more functional position. If you are missing a tooth or several teeth, we offer restorative dentistry options like dental implants and dental bridges to replace one or more missing teeth. Dr. Bowersox can evaluate your smile and recommend the best treatment options to restore your tooth and jaw function.
How do you treat jaw pain?
Our patients who suffer from tension headaches often also experience jaw pain. Jaw pain is a sign of a TMJ disorder or an issue with the temporomandibular joint of the jaw. To treat this dental concern, we offer TMJ treatment.
TMJ treatment is individualized for each patient, though it typically includes using a nightguard
A nightguard is a custom-made device that you wear while you sleep. It holds your jaw in a healthier, more relaxed position, which helps reduce the strain on the joint. This can relieve jaw pain, prevent further damage, and even help with headaches caused by TMJ issues.
How do you know if your headache is from your teeth?
If your headache is coming from your teeth, it can feel a bit different from other types of headaches. People often describe a dental headache as a dull ache that sits between the eyes and can sometimes spread to the ears. This type of pain may feel like a throbbing sensation right in the middle of your head.
You might also notice that the pain comes from one specific area of your mouth or jaw. Sometimes, you can feel a dull ache that affects your whole head. Other signs that your teeth could be causing your headache include jaw soreness, trouble chewing, or pain when you move your jaw.
If you suspect your headaches might be caused by dental issues, see Dr. Bowersox.
Can tooth infection spread to the brain?
Yes, a tooth infection can spread to the brain, but it doesn’t happen right away. It takes time for an untreated infection to get that serious. However, if you ignore a tooth infection for too long, the bacteria from the infection can spread through your bloodstream or sinuses and potentially reach the brain.
Can a tooth that needs a root canal cause headaches?
Yes, a tooth that needs a root canal can cause headaches. If a tooth becomes infected and needs root canal therapy, the infection can spread to other parts of your body, including your sinuses. The roots of your upper teeth are located very close to your sinus cavities.
When a tooth infection is left untreated, bacteria from the infected tooth can move into the sinus area, leading to pressure and pain in the sinuses. This can cause severe sinus pain, which often results in headaches.
Relieve Tension Headaches
Get headache treatment from our dentist in Westminster, MD. Call Dr. Bowersox at 410-642-5634 or schedule an appointment online. If you have questions about your treatment options, feel free to ask. Dr. Bowersox will be glad to help.