Clenching Your Teeth Can Cause Headaches

Ear Nose and Throat Diseases Specialist Assoc. Dr. Yavuz Selim Yıldırım gave information about the subject. Among the people, grinding-clenching disease is also called "bruxism". Clenching teeth unknowingly while spending time in front of the television or on the phone can cause many symptoms: For example, severe headache, facial pain, pain in the neck and shoulder region, clicking sounds in the joints, abrasion of the teeth and jaw joint problems.

Sometimes, patients go to the hospital with only ear complaints due to joint problems without being aware of any of them. That is, they may only feel pain, humming and deep stinging in the ear. Due to the constant strain of the jaw joint during sleep at night, the jaw joint affects the ear structures negatively. During the day, the patient begins to suffer from ear complaints. These patients may experience pain and strain due to mouth opening, laughing and yawning.

Long-term clenching causes wear and tear on teeth other than the jaw joint, damage to tooth enamel and tooth decay.

A significant hypertrophy and strengthening occurs in the Massater muscle due to continuous clenching. This creates a significant structural change in the face shape. In other words, it is seen from the outside as swelling in the jaw corners.

In some patients, it causes neither dental complaints nor jaw joint complaints. It is such a pain that it is so severe that it usually presents in the morning after sleep in the form of sensitivity in the ear, face and jaw area, sensitivity in the teeth, pain in the neck and shoulder region, headache, interfacial.

So Why Does This Clenching – Bruxism With Teeth Grinding Disease Occur?

Generally, personality structure, emotional stress and day-to-day reasons play a prominent role in the formation of this disease.

We approach the treatment as a multidisciplinary approach. If psychological reasons are dominant in the patient, we provide psychological support. If dental complaints are prominent, we recommend night plaque. If problems related to the jaw joint are evident, we offer protective treatments for the jaw joint.

Recently, we have been applying botox, which is the most effective and safe treatment, which does not cause any harm and has no side effects. By applying a small needle to the massater and temporal muscles in 5 minutes in the polyclinic environment, we get rid of these problems for at least 4-6 months. After a few repetitive applications, this problem is no longer a problem due to the decrease in muscle strength. Thus, we get rid of permanent ear complaints, jaw joint complaints, dental problems and muscle pain.