A Trip To The Dentist Could Be The Solution For Headaches
Do you suffer from headaches on a regular basis?
Over 40% of the U.S. population have suffered from severe headaches at some point in their lives.
Studies indicate that thousands of work days are lost every year due directly to people having severe headaches.
If you suffer from chronic headaches, then it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your dentist.
Depending on the kind of headache, your dentist may be able to provide you with a solution to curing them.
Headaches are normally organized into 4 basic types:
Sinus – Pain is behind the brow bone and/or cheekbones.
Cluster – Pain is in and around one eye.
Tension – The pain feels like a band tightening around your head
Migraine – Migraines have many types. The classic is experienced as pain, nausea and vision changes.
Tension headaches are the most common of all the headaches. Research estimates the number being as high as 90%.
Medication from your local drugstore will often times control the symptoms and discomfort. However if they occur with some regularity and keep on for an extended amount of time, it is a good idea to go over them with a dentist.
The muscles of the temple area of your head offer a vital function in controlling and closing the jaw.
If your occlusion or bite is not aligned properly (malocclusion) you can encounter abnormal tension in these muscles. This could very well be the basis of your tension headaches.
If the bite is not realigned the muscles stay tight and rigid for increasing periods of time. The contracted muscle doesn’t get a chance to rest and soon worsens because of decreasing circulation due to a lack of oxygen. Waste products also accumulate. The result of all of this is a headache.
There is also the matter of the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, on each side of your jaw that may be the culprit. If any misalignment or damage has occurred to one or both of these joints, a wide range of symptoms may present themselves, including headaches.
This is why a visit to your dentist can be the solution to your headaches.
Try to find a dentist that specializes in technology that allows them to objectively evaluate the state of your muscles, TMJ and other factors that may be affecting your bite.
Based on this evaluation and a comprehensive exam he/she can rule in or out your bite being a possible cause of your chronic headaches.
They will also be able to tell by examining your teeth whether you grind your teeth at night. Chronic stress and unresolved issues can lead to night-time tooth grinding, which is known as bruxism.
If your dentist concludes that your bite, bruxism or even TMJ syndrome is is the culprit for causing your pain, then a common solution is a custom made orthotic.
An orthotic is a plastic appliance that is worn over or fixed on your teeth to align your teeth and jaws or to prevent tooth grinding.
And if your dentist determines that it is your bite that is responsible, they may then offer you options on how to permanently correct your bite. Thus effectively helping you get rid of your headaches.
And of course, if your dentist can’t identify or correct the problem, your medical doctor (and possibly your optometrist, as well) should be your next visit.
Related articles
- Using Acupressure to Relieve Headaches (brighthub.com)
- I Have TMJD (thefrisky.com)



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