Headaches and Jaw Pain – Potential Causes

Treating jaw and headache problems at Arthur House Dental Care.

Headaches are not uncommon, but, in most instances, they are temporary; perhaps caused by stress, a noisy environment or even self inflicted!

Some headaches though simply refuse to go away and, just when we think we are free of them, they come back with a vengeance.

This can be very frustrating as well as painful, and getting to the root of the cause can be difficult.

Jaw Problems

In fact, many headaches can be caused by jaw problems. When the jaws become misaligned this can cause the surrounding muscles to spasm and send messages to the brain. This in turn can result in headaches and migraines as well as a number of other problems such as bruxism.

In fact, at our Sutton Coldfield dentist, we have seen a number of patients who have suffered with bruxism that has been caused as a direct result of jaw problems. The long term effects of this can even result in broken and worn teeth as they grind together.

Although some people with misaligned jaw problems will suffer few if any symptoms, others will do; often painfully. This is often exasperated by high levels of stress which causes tension in the jaw area which is likely to lead to more painful headaches. In many ways, a vicious circle of events.

Prevention and treatment

Although avoiding stress will certainly help in preventing jaw problems and potential headaches, this may not be possible if your lifestyle is particularly hectic or if there are other underlying causes.

Crooked teeth can also be contributory to jaw misalignment. To help address this, at Arthur House Dental Care in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham we offer a wide range of adult orthodontics such as the popular Invisalign, which will help to correct any unevenness of the teeth and potentially prevent jaw problems later on.

If it is too late to prevent the jaw problems though, all is not lost. We are able to diagnose problems with your jaw and may be able to help through a variety of methods. For example, wearing a splint or using a ‘deprogrammer’ is an option, depending on the exact circumstances. In some instances too, an appropriate orthodontic device (brace) may help.

The most important thing though, if you suffer from headaches or jaw stress and have not found a solution with your doctor, is to arrange a consultation at our Sutton Coldfield dental practice.

Following an examination, we will discuss the best treatment plan to treat your problem and, hopefully, offer relief from the persistent pain.

For more information, please call us now on 0121 323 4492.