Are teeth grinding causing my headaches?

Have you ever had a headache that seems to come from nowhere, or occur for no discernible reason? You’re not ill, you’re not dehydrated, and you’re not recovering from a party or social event, so why is your head hurting? There are plenty of seemingly unexplainable aches and pains that we encounter that we have no idea where they come from, but Crescent Lodge Dental Practice can help. It could be teeth grinding causing your headaches.

How and why are my teeth causing my headaches?

Your headache could be stemming from your teeth and, more specifically, from your jaw. You may be grinding and clenching your teeth without realising it, whether awake or asleep, and this has a knock-on effect to your jaw and body. When our upper and lower jaw don’t fit together properly, it causes all sorts of problems for our temporo-mandibular joint (or jaw joint). The pressure and tension created here travels both up and down our body to cause aches, pains, and stiffness in places you wouldn’t have suspected.

How will I know if I’m grinding my teeth?

Symptoms that you’re grinding your teeth are commonly your jaw audibly or physically clicking, tension in your temples, and even strain in your neck and shoulders. Because your jaw joint hinges between neck and head, it sends shockwaves through both these parts of the body. You could also be experiencing pain in your jaw and teeth because of how they are constantly pushing and rubbing together. This manifests in sensitivity in chewing, biting, and brushing.

What’s causing my teeth grinding?

The way our jaw and teeth fit together is commonly the reason for grinding and clenching. When they are misaligned, we can grind our teeth even in our sleep and cause ourselves dental and bodily pain. There’s a lot of factors that impact our occlusion, or bite, which include missing teeth, uneven and crooked teeth, and under- or over-bite formation.

Can Crescent Lodge Dental Practice treat my teeth grinding?

We have a variety of ways we treat teeth grinding and dental occlusion, and they all depend on your individual circumstances. For example, if you are missing teeth that we believe are the reason for your jaw misalignment, we may suggest dental implants or some form of tooth replacement like a denture. If your teeth are crooked and straightening them would help your bite, then we would recommend orthodontic treatment. In some cases, a custom-made bite guard may be created to wear at night, preventing your teeth from developing further wear and tear and relaxing your jaw while you sleep. We may also suggest a dental splint, helping to ease the tension in your teeth and jaw.

It’s difficult to know where your pains are coming from, but you may never have suspected your teeth or jaw were the culprits. You may not even realise that your stiff neck, tight or hunched shoulders, and even migraines are caused by your misaligned teeth. When experiencing discomfort and suspecting your teeth grinding, book a free 20-minute consultation with one of our specially trained dentists to learn how best to manage your discomfort and which treatments we provide that can alleviate your pain.

Enquire online, speak to a friendly member of our staff on 020 7622 5333 today or simply book online.

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