Is Bruxism Causing Your Headaches? We Can Help!

If you frequently wake up with headaches, then it is possible that you may have bruxism. This is the medical name for teeth clenching and grinding and it’s generally a nocturnal habit, so you may not know you have this problem until you develop various symptoms. In addition to frequently causing headaches, people with bruxism will often wake up with an aching jaw or will notice that their jaw makes a clicking or popping sound when they open and close it. The pressure caused by clenching and grinding creates enormous stress on your jaw joints, called temporomandibular joints and which can cause a disorder called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). The pain and inflammation caused by TMJ can extend beyond your jaw joints and into your facial muscles, potentially causing chronic headaches.

Diagnosing and Treating Bruxism

A consultation with our dentists will soon determine if you have bruxism and we can provide treatment to help relieve your chronic headaches and to protect your teeth and jaws. Usually, treatment will simply consist of a custom-made night guard. Made from a tough thermoplastic material, your night guard will fit comfortably over your upper teeth, preventing contact with your lower teeth. This will help reduce inflammation in your jaw joints, protecting your teeth and resolving those chronic headaches.