Millions of Americans suffer from headaches on an almost daily basis. What many people don’t realize is that it is very possible that the cause of their headaches may be related to their dental health, specifically their “occlusion”. “Occlusion” is simply the way your upper and lower teeth come together, (also know as your “bite”). If your teeth are misaligned, the muscles of your face and neck are forced to work hard to compensate or correct the misalignment.
Since the average person opens and closes their mouth over 2,000 times a day simply to swallow you can see how this extra work for the muscles of the face and neck can result is fatigue, soreness and pain. There are other clues which may indicate whether or not your headaches have a dental component. Let your dentist know if you experience any of these symptoms:
• Popping or clicking of the jaw.
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth.
• Sore facial or neck muscles; especially first thing in the morning.
• Ringing in the ears, and/or ear
congestion.
As part of a comprehensive neuromuscular examination your dentist can determine if your occlusion and the status of your jaw joints and the muscles of your face and neck are a factor in your headache pain. If that is the case then they can recommend a course of treatment that relaxes the muscles and stabilizes your bite so that the muscles of the face and neck can work in harmony with the teeth and jaw joints. There are many potential causes for headaches. You should seek immediate medical attention if:
• Your headaches (the pain and duration) have gotten worse over days and weeks.
• You (particularly if you are over 50) have never had headaches before, and these came on suddenly.
• You are feeling weak; you are experiencing numbness or a change in your hearing or sight.
• Your headache is unrelenting, and none of the over-the-counter analgesics you have taken seem to relieve the pain.
• Your memory, personality or cognitive abilities seem to be changing.
• Your headache is accompanied by a stiff neck, rash, nausea, vomiting, fever, breathing problems, or head injury.
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According to the National Headache Foundation, more than 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. The four most common types of headaches are:
Tension: The most common type of headache, tension headaches generally produce a diffuse, usually mild to moderate pain over your head. Many people liken the feeling to having a tight band around their head.
Migraine: These painful headaches are often preceded or accompanied by a sensory warning sign such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in your arm or leg. Migraine headaches are often accompanied by other signs/symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Sinus: Sinus headaches often appear first thing in the morning. You may feel pain, pressure, and fullness in your cheeks, brow or forehead. The pain may get worse when you bend forward or lie down. If sinusitis becomes chronic, the headaches may become a constant dull ache.
Cluster: A cluster headache is often described as sharp, penetrating or burning pain. Sufferers often say that the pain is like a hot poker being stuck in the eye. A striking feature of cluster headache is that the attacks occur in cyclical patterns, or clusters — which gives the condition its name.