How can a dentist prevent migraine headaches? A brief guide from Aura Dental
A condition that affects up to 1 million people per year in the UK, migraine headaches are anything but a minor health concern.
Characterised by visual auras, feelings of nausea followed by an intense headache, this neurological condition can be devastating to functioning adults. While there are many underlying causes associated with migraines such as low serotonin levels, mental health concerns and even genetic components, there are many environmental factors which can cause them to occur more frequently.
Why are migraines being discussed in a dental article? Because one of the leading causes of recurrent migraines is dental issues.
If you frequently suffer from migraine headaches with little to no relief from medication provided by your doctor, come and see our dentist in St Johns Wood for an assessment. We will examine whether your migraines are caused or exacerbated by your teeth and will offer you a solution, if we determine a link between the two. Perfect!
But what are some of the dental issues that can lead to migraines or even tension headaches? Read on to find out.
Grinding
Usually occurring at night, grinding typically occurs when there is a misalignment of the molars.
As you sleep, your jaw muscles relax and the lower jaw can fall back. If your teeth are not correctly aligned, this can cause you to grind your teeth together.
After a night of this, you may wake up with a stiff neck and shoulders which can cause a migraine to develop. If you regularly experience headaches in the morning, talk to our dentist in St Johns Wood about having a nightguard fitted in order to eliminate grinding.
Occlusion
Similar to grinding, occlusion occurs when your teeth do not ‘sit’ correctly when your mouth is closed.
This can lead to abnormal muscle movements when you are eating food or talking. Like grinding, this can cause your muscles to pull and become sore, putting you at a higher risk of developing a migraine. If you think you have an occlusion issue, contact our dentist in St Johns Wood to discuss potential orthodontic treatments.
Temporomandibular joint disorder
A disorder that impacts on the movement of muscles in your jaw, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) has been linked to recurrent migraines.
Our team at Aura Dental will assess the severity of TMJ by feeling the muscles in your jaw as you open and close your mouth. Depending on the severity, we may recommend exercises to relax the tense muscles or we may even suggest visiting a physical therapist.
Missing teeth
If you have recently had an extraction and are now experiencing migraines, this is once again caused by an issue with your bite alignment.
We can treat this by fitting a prosthetic such as a bridge, partial denture or dental implant.
Decay
Technically, this is known as referred pain.
If you have untreated tooth decay, this can cause pain to occur in your ears, head or neck. If you haven’t had a check-up in a while, contact our team for one today.