More than 40 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches and many sufferers don't know that a visit to the dentist may be the best way to treat it.
Migraines are a major problem because they make people unable to function and accomplish the most basic of tasks. Medication helps but it doesn't completely eradicate the problem.
That's why dentists have seen an increase in the number of patients visiting them with bruxism symptoms. Bruxism (BRUK-siz-um) is a condition in which you grind, gnash or clench your teeth. If you have bruxism, you may unconsciously clench your teeth when you're awake (awake bruxism) or clench or grind them during sleep (sleep bruxism). Sleep bruxism is considered a sleep-related movement disorder.
Migraines can sometimes stem from teeth grinding because the act of the teeth clenching adds unnecessary pressure to the jawbone and other facial structures.
It's possible for bruxism to be cured by wearing specially made devices like night guards. This way there will be no contact between tooth surfaces while the person is sleeping.
Although many people never experience migraines around 75% of people encounter some type of bruxism in their life. Bruxism may also develop if a person is dealing with various types of stress.
Regular dental visits can curb problems like bruxism and can help in the treatment of migraines.
IF YOU WAKE UP WITH A HEADACHE, YOU MIGHT BE SUFFERING FROM BRUXISM.