St. Augustine, FL
The only thing worse than a headache is a recurring headache that won’t go away. Headaches can have many causes, from sinus issues to straining to see or read. If you find yourself often reaching for a bottle of pain relievers to help your headaches, then today’s blog by our family dentist in St. Augustine is for you.
Let’s look at three common dental issues that can cause headaches or migraines:
Bruxism
Has anyone ever mentioned or complained that you grind your teeth at night? The fancy word for that is “bruxism.” It’s the unconscious grinding or clenching of teeth, usually when a person is sleeping. Stress or a misaligned bite can trigger bruxism. Grinding teeth through the night overworks the jaw muscles and wears down — or even fractures or breaks — teeth. Pain in the teeth can transfer, via the cranial trigeminal nerve, to other places in the head, face or neck.
Bruxism is often a symptom of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, a condition affecting the muscles, ligaments and joints that connect the jaw to the skull. These joints act as sliding “hinges,” helping the mouth open and close smoothly. TMJ disorder can cause chronic headaches and pain or ringing deep in the ears.
Bruxism can also be related to sleep apnea, a dangerous sleeping condition in which a person stops breathing for periods at night. These sleep disruptions can occur up to 100 times a night in severe cases. When the throat relaxes at night, soft tissue can obstruct the airway, causing a person to temporarily stop breathing. The brain responds by startling the person awake to breathe. The deprivation of oxygen at night can often lead to daytime headaches.
Tooth Damage
A cracked, broken or otherwise damaged tooth can expose the tooth’s pulp and sensitive nerve tissue to stimulants. Because of the trigeminal nerve, a toothache can transfer to other parts of the head, face and neck, causing pain there, too. This can trigger migraines in some people, often accompanied by light or sound sensitivity and nausea.
Infections and Abscesses
Decayed or otherwise damaged teeth can develop a bacterial infection deep in the tooth’s pulp. This causes pain, swelling and fever, and it can eventually develop into a jaw abscess. This, alone, can easily lead to a headache. It can also lead to a sinus infection, which can cause debilitating migraines.
Headache Relief in St. Augustine, Florida
When someone is suffering from chronic headaches, dental issues are sometimes the last culprit they consider. Fortunately, the dental issues that cause headaches and migraines can be addressed at our St. Augustine family dentist office. If you experience frequent headaches, call our Palencia Dental office at 904-664-5254, or reach out to us online today. We will schedule an appointment with you quickly to address and put an end to the cause of your pain.
