St. Augustine, FL
A splitting headache can wreak havoc on your daily life. Depending on its severity, a headache can keep you from being able to focus or even function. Over time, even a minor, dull headache can become a major nuisance. Unfortunately, some people suffer from chronic headaches — they never seem to go away — and often these folks turn to over-the-counter pain medications for relief. But this is just treating the symptom of the problem. The actual root of the problem could be a dental issue.
If you’re suffering from near-constant headaches, take a look at the list below, compiled by our family dentist in St. Augustine. If any of these sound like something you’re dealing with, give our office a call so that we can quickly and effectively alleviate the pain you’re experiencing.
Tooth Damage or Infection
Any damage to or infection in a tooth can eventually reach the tooth’s pulp and the cranial trigeminal nerve, which then carries pain to other parts of the face and head. Because the trigeminal nerve branches out to various cranial places, it can travel along the nerve to various points in the head. This means that pain in any part of the face can travel along the trigeminal nerve and become a headache.
TMJ Disorder
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder affects the jaw, including its joints, muscles and ligaments. The joints act as hinges between the skull and jaw, sliding as the mouth opens and closes. TMJ disrupts this and can cause pain in the jaw and pain/ringing deep in the ears. It can also cause toothaches and headaches.
Bruxism
Bruxism — the unconscious clenching and grinding of teeth, usually during sleep — often accompanies TMJ disorder. Grinding teeth can wear teeth down, and it also overworks the jaw muscle, all of which can lead to chronic headaches.
Bad Bite
Many times teeth don’t fit together as they should. We call this a bad bite — an overbite or underbite, for instance. With a bad bite, even small movements like chewing or talking can strain the jaw, wearing down the teeth and causing headaches.
Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a dangerous sleep-breathing disorder that affects millions of Americans. It occurs when throat tissue relaxes or collapses and obstructs a person’s airway while sleeping. This causes sufferers to unknowingly be startled out of sleep multiple times a night — and up to 100 times in the most severe cases. Not only does this disrupt beneficial sleep patterns and restorative sleep, but it can also cause tension-type headaches or migraines.
Headache Relief in St. Augustine, Florida
Perhaps it’s time to put the pain relievers down and pick up the phone to call our St. Augustine family dentist at Palencia Dental. We can quickly determine if dental issues are the cause of your headaches, which will help us formulate a treatment plan that gives you quick and long-lasting relief. Call us at 904-826-4343, or reach out to us online to schedule an appointment today.
