Headaches and Teeth Clenching
Have you ever woken up in the morning with a smashing headache…and it wasn’t due to heavy drinking the night before? Have you ever caught yourself clenching your teeth during a stressful situation like in an important meeting or a first date? Do you have a history of anxiety, mood swings or obsessive compulsive behavior? Do you ever experience sharp pain in your temporomandibular (jaw) joint? People that have chronic headaches may want to talk to their dentist about the possibility that they are clenching their teeth.
It is not completely understood as to what the underlying causes of teeth clenching are but it may be easy to understand why headaches result from it. Teeth clenching can cause severe headaches in adults and children alike. Headaches as a result of teeth clenching can be the result of not only physical but emotional problems. Teeth clenching can take the form of noisy grinding sounds, damaged teeth, tooth sensitivity and all kinds of soreness through the mouth and head.
Many times, teeth grinding is something that someone may experience for a period of time and be completely unaware of the problem and other times it may have been going on for years. If you a family member is complaining of jaw, sinus or headaches, it may be that they are causing the problem themselves.
Teeth clenching may be a physical outlet for people that are prone to anxiety attacks or other stress related issues. Often times during younger years, children develop a habit of teeth clenching when they are exposed to stress. As they continue to “practice” the habit of teeth clenching it can develop into an obsessive compulsive behavior, amplifying the problem and causing severe headaches and other issues.
People that are being treated for things like depression may also notice an onset of teeth clenching due to medications that they are taking.
Treatment Options for Teeth Clenching
There are lots of different treatment options that are recommended for people that have headaches as a result of teeth grinding. Often times it’s just a matter of finding the right medication that eases tension and stress. Some dentists will recommend a patient uses custom fit dental guards as they are effective in cushioning the teeth and padding the grinding effect, decreasing the likelihood that a headache will arise. Sometimes headaches caused by teeth clenching can be effectively eliminated through biofeedback or other types of behavioral therapy that create aweness. People usually clench their teeth without even realizing it so it is helpful in helping a patient catch themselves clenching.