Your Headaches Could Be a Result of Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding is one of the most overlooked health problems that people have and it is not as uncommon as you may think.  In fact, more people have been diagnosed with bruxism in the last 10 years than ever before.  Bruxism is simply a condition where someone will grind their teeth while they sleep and it is completely involuntary.  This is the main reason that most people do not even realize they have this condition.

But did you know that one of the biggest symptoms of teeth grinding is a headache.  Since people who suffer with bruxism grind their teeth during the night, these headaches will usually be worse in the morning.  So where do these headaches come from?  When someone is clenching their teeth for a steady period of time they will begin to use many different muscles in their face.  These muscles strain to grind the teeth and can cause serious headaches.  Some people will even wake up during the night because of the intense pain that the headaches can cause.

Another major factor in these headaches is the constant straining of the jaw muscles.   Most sufferers of bruxism will also complain of sore jaws along with their headaches.  Because of this constant pressure it will cause your headaches to become even worse.

There are many other reasons you may be having regular headaches, but if they are particularly worse in the morning and you have been experiencing some of the other symptoms of teeth grinding you may want to consult with your dentist for verification.  Your dentist may find that your teeth have tiny cracks which are almost always a result of regular teeth grinding and clenched teeth.

Sometimes you can hear people grinding their teeth while they sleep so you can let them know about this condition.  If you are concerned that you may be one of the many sufferers of bruxism ask your partner or friend to watch you when you sleep or nap.  Or you can even record it yourself with a video camera to confirm the problem.

One of the best things you can do to help alleviate the pain is to get a teeth grinding mouth guard.  These mouth guards are different from sports mouth guards.  They are much smaller and not as bulky so you can sleep in them and they are also much more comfortable to wear.  This is very important because of the mouth guard is not comfortable you probably will not be able to sleep in it, and you most definitely will not want to wear it either.