Are you frustrated by reoccurring morning headaches?
If you experience morning headaches routinely, there may be an underlying oral health concern causing your discomfort.
Headaches are often a symptom of more complex underlying dental concerns. TMJ, teeth grinding, and sleep apnea are all health conditions that can result in headaches, especially ones that occur first thing when you wake up. If you experience frequent headaches after waking, be sure to tell our physician or your dentist.
Dr. Jose Gil provides personalized treatment plans for teeth grinding, TMJ, and sleep apnea from the comfort of his state-of-the-art Allentown, PA dentist office. He creates custom oral sleep appliances and mouthguards in the house for precise and comfortable results. Oral sleep appliances are custom-designed to realign the jaw to prevent grinding, relieve pressure on the jaw joint, and keep the airway open while you sleep. Many patients find almost overnight relief after wearing a custom oral appliance and a reduction in their painful symptoms.
Can Oral Health Problems Cause Headaches?
- Bruxism
Teeth grinding, or bruxism is the habit of grinding the upper and lower jaw together in a repetitive motion. Many patients grind their teeth unknowingly while they are asleep. Bruxism puts added tension on the jaw joint and muscle and can cause excessive teeth wear, TMJ, and headaches. The pressure caused by grinding the jaws together agitates the facial and head muscles creating painful headaches when patients wake. - TMJ
Temporomandibular Joint disorder is a painful bite disorder affecting the alignment, function, and health of the jaw muscles and joints. While there is no one cause for TMJ, many patients experience painful symptoms due to bruxism, malocclusion, or trauma to the jaw joint. Patients with a malfunctioning jaw joint often experience chronic and often debilitating headaches. - Sleep Apnea
Do you snore loudly while you sleep, or wake throughout the night gasping for air? You may have sleep apnea, a serious medical condition that often results in deteriorating overall health. Sleep apnea occurs when the airway becomes blocked while sleeping, typically by the collapse of soft tissues in the mouth, and patients are deprived of oxygen throughout the night. Patients with sleep apnea commonly wake with headaches due to oxygen deprivation.
Request an Appointment
If you experience routine headaches, be sure to contact Dr. Gil. Your headaches could be caused by an underlying dental health concern. Hamilton Dental Designs is proud to provide state-of-the-art dental care services with compassion and skill to new and returning patients from communities in and around Allentown, Macungie, Wescosville, and Trexlertown PA. Call our Allentown, PA dentist office at 610-421-4540 or use our online form to request your personal consultation.