Headaches are a clear indication of many dental issues that occur in individuals and are not treated. Pain from dental problems can affect the head and sinuses leading to constant headaches. This is because many facial and cranial nerves are near the joints of the jaw and near the roots of the tooth. Examples of dental issues that lead to headaches are; extensive tooth decay, impacted wisdom teeth, a misaligned bite, teeth grinding or clenching of the teeth at night or bruxism. Neuromuscular dentistry is a new technology that focuses on the muscles of the jaw and neck and their relation to the teeth. This type of dentistry recognizes that the jaw muscles must be relaxed and not conflicting with the teeth and the jaw. There are a number of symptoms that occur when these muscles are not comfortable. They are: headaches, loose teeth, clenching, root abfractions, pain or clicking and popping in the jaw joints, non-specific facial pain, difficulty in swallowing, sensitive teeth, crowded teeth, receding gums, a ringing sound in the ears.
Dental problems are common reasons for headaches. Studies show that if the teeth of the upper and lower jaw do not meet properly, this leads to tension of the muscles which result in headaches. Teeth grinding (bruxism) cause a lot of strain on some bones and muscles in the jaw which are stimulated to cause headaches. It is advisable to increase the intake of calcium and magnesium and use a mouth guard to reduce tooth grinding.
Another cause of headache that is dental related is known as temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and imbalances of the jaw that involve the jaw and the skull and results to the interruption of bones, cartilage and muscle activities. Temporomandibular joint disorder occurs due to a misalignment in the joint among the lower joint and the temporal bone of the cranium. Symptoms of TMD include: pain in the jaw, earaches, migraine like headaches that are persistent, and pain in the shoulders and upper back.
The tooth pulp can also become infected. If the tooth infected is located in the upper jaw then the headache may result. This resulting pain is unbearable. This requires endodontic treatment combined with a course of antibiotics. Headaches might also occur due to an infection following the extraction of a tooth. This pain is usually localized to the area of extraction but sometimes it radiates to the face and head.
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