If you’ve been suffering with chronic headaches and can’t seem to figure out what’s behind it, then it’s possible that the issue is a dental-related one. Oftentimes, people only think they have a problem with their teeth if their teeth alone are what’s bothering them, but actually, the way your teeth function and fit together can have a big impact on other parts of your body as well.
Your Teeth & Headaches
The short answer is yes: It’s possible that your constant headaches are related to your teeth. This is because pain you experience in your mouth can then move to your skull and cause a headache. The question is what is the exact cause of this pain. It’s possible that you clench or grind your teeth at night, that your teeth aren’t fitting together properly (this fit is called your “bite” or “occlusion”), or that there is an issue with your jaw joints (which is called temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ/TMD). Many people don’t realize that their occlusion is more than just how their smile looks and that it can actually affect their head all the way down to their neck and shoulders!
Treatment with Gneuromuscular Dentistry
At Dental Solutions of Columbus, we are proud to have Dr. Sitaram, a specialized dentist who can perform gneuromuscular dentistry, on our team. Gneuromuscular dentistry is when we go beyond just looking at the teeth and gums to study jaw nerves and muscles, seeing how the teeth and jaws work together to form your bite. Through gneuromuscular dentistry, we can determine whether your constant headaches are caused by bad alignment of your upper and lower teeth, or because of some issue in your temporomandibular joints.
To learn more about this specialized treatment, you can read our gneuromuscular dentistry page. You’re also welcome to contact our Columbus dental practice directly to speak with a member of our team!