What a Dentist Can do for Headaches

A dentist can help relieve the pain caused by headaches.

A headache or migraine can be a very crippling illness. They can last for days and come back for no specific reason, monthly or weekly. If you do not seek treatment, they will get worse and, over time, become unmanageable.

Believe it or not, seeing your dentist is one way to help find out and treat what is causing your headaches. There could be dental-related causes of your headaches, and you should schedule a visit to your dentist to see if they can help determine the reason.

Dental related reasons for my headache

Your dentist will discuss your concerns and symptoms and run tests and x-rays to determine if your headaches are dental-related. Once you know what is causing the pain, your dentist will start treating you, and hopefully, relief will soon follow.

• TMJ – TMJ is associated with the joint that connects the upper jaw to the lower jaw. If your dentist discovers any abnormalities with your jaw through X-rays, they may want you to use a mouthguard.
• Toothache – A toothache is often the cause of a headache. When you have a toothache, the nerves in the face area are affected, and this will cause headaches to occur. Many patients say the headache is worse than the toothache itself.

Seeing your dentist regularly, as recommended, can help catch tooth decay and cavities from starting and keep these types of headaches away.

What are teeth exercises?

Your dentist may suggest certain teeth and mouth exercises to help relieve pain from a dental headache. Teeth exercises can restore strength and relieve tension.

Moving your teeth up and down will ease the pain from a headache. Your mouth needs specific types of movement to keep tension away from the jaw to prevent headaches.

Things to do to avoid dental-related headaches

There are a few things you can do to prevent headaches associated with dental issues.

• Do not chew hard objects like your fingernails, the ends of pens, or any similar object, and do not use your teeth as tools to open things like a can.
• Cut up larger food into smaller pieces to make it easier to chew.
• If you play sports, do yourself a favor and use a mouthguard to prevent injury.
• Do not grind your teeth. You may not be able to avoid this while sleeping, but please do your best not to do it while awake.