Valley Dental Center, Headaches and Dental Health

**Headaches & Dental Health**
Headaches From Dental Stress How can your bite cause a headache? Tension headaches result from muscle strain, or contraction. When muscles are held tight for long periods of time they begin to ache. Headaches from dental stress are a type of muscle tension headache. A tension headache may be on one or both sides of your head. Or, it may surround your head as if a steel band were wrapped around it. The pain feels like a dull, non-throbbing ache. Tension headaches are usually relieved by aspirin. Specific signs which indicate that the headache may have a dental origin include: Pain behind the eyes Sore jaw muscles or "tired" muscles upon awakening Teeth grinding Clicking or popping jaw joints Head and/or scalp painful to the touch Referred Pain The pain may be felt in the cheeks or the jaw joints. Many times, however, the pain is "referred" to other areas of the head. Referred pain is when a pain originates in a part of the body that differs from the area where it is felt. Even a single tooth can refer pain to the head. Dental Treatment If you suspect that your headaches might be caused by your bite, contact your dentist. Your dentist will examine your teeth, your muscles, and your jaw joints to determine if dental stress is the source of your headaches. If so, treatment will involve correcting your bite so that the muscles can function without extra strain and tension. If the true source of your headaches is an unstable bite, this must ultimately be corrected to relieve the headaches. For further information or questions, please fill out our Need More Information form or contact: 240 Farms Village RoadWest Simsbury, Connecticut 06092 Telephone: (860) 651-3541 office@valleydentalsimsbury.com [Back to Did You Know?]