subject: Are My Teeth Causing My Headache? [print this page] Are My Teeth Causing My Headache? Are My Teeth Causing My Headache?
Regardless of their source, persistent headaches can be debilitating and greatly reduce your overall quality of life, particularly if they remain undiagnosed. Finding the underlying cause of persistent headaches allows them to be effectively treated. Unfortunately, some headaches are very difficult to trace to a specific cause. Some of these hard to diagnose headaches are actually caused by dental issues, and can be best treated by a neuromuscular dentist.
Dental Issues That Can Cause Headaches
Numerous dental issues can lead to headaches if left untreated. Because so many facial and cranial nerves exist near the joints of the jaw and near the tooth roots, pain from dental problems can affect the head and sinuses, causing persistent headaches.
Some problems that can lead to headaches include:
Impacted wisdom teeth
Extensive tooth decay
Misaligned bite
Tooth grinding
Regular dental visits can help you ensure that these types of problems are detected early, and that appropriate care is supplied so that they do not develop into serious issues that can cause headaches.
TMD and Headaches
Another cause of headaches that is difficult to diagnose is temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. TMD occurs due to a misalignment in the joint between the lower jaw and the temporal bone of the skull. Symptoms of TMD are varied and can include:
Persistent, migraine-like headaches
Pain in the jaw
Earaches
Pain in the shoulders and upper back
If cranial nerves are affected by the misalignment of the TMJ, headaches are often a result. Some sufferers can spend years trying to find the root cause of these headaches, never imagining that it has to do with the alignment of their teeth.
TMD treatment involves correcting the bite. First, an experienced neuromuscular dentist determines the proper alignment of the upper and lower teeth. Then the dentist will recommend a course of treatment to correct the bite. This can include orthodontic treatment, porcelain veneers, crowns, and mouthguards to wear at night.
InOklahoma City, migraine type headaches can be evaluated by neuromuscular dentistTerry Bass, DDS. Please visit his website for more information. Get more headache info at www.drterrybass.com
