Most people can agree that constant headaches can significantly interfere with happiness and overall quality of life. But did you know that in some cases, your dental professional can diagnose the issue and treat it effectively? If you are still experiencing pain and discomfort from headaches after visiting your doctor, the source of the problem could be your teeth.
Bruxism: The Probable Cause for Your Dental Headaches
Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding and or clenching. The issue is often involuntary and happens while sleeping. When teeth are grinding, or clenching occur the pressure on your jaw can be three to ten times greater than during routine chewing, with your teeth receiving the full force of the impact.
Grinding can wear down teeth, causing damage, and put excessive pressure on the already overworked muscles, tissues, and other structures around the jaw. This pressure causes soreness, irritation, and inflammation contributing to dull, persistent, and frequent headaches.
Causes of Bruxism
Teeth clenching and grinding can happen in times of stress, anxiety, anger, or even deep concentration. Bruxism can also be caused by orthodontic complications such as malocclusion or a bad bite, certain medications, or facial muscle spasms.
Seeking Treatment?
Your trusted dental professional can initiate the discovery of untreated bruxism by simply examining your teeth. Severely worn down or fractured teeth or broken fillings can be obvious signs of bruxism.
Your treatment approach depends on the cause of your bruxism. Though there is no cure, there are many innovative and successful treatments designed to alleviate the painful symptoms and address the root cause.
Even though teeth grinding, and clenching are not life-threatening, many of the outcomes can be difficult to live with every day. If you or a loved one believe that bruxism is causing your painful headaches and affecting your smile, Brownsburg Dental Group can help. Contact our skilled team to schedule your bruxism consultation today!