Can Wisdom Teeth Cause Migraines

What Can Be Done To Relieve Pain

Most people who suffer from headaches can take over-the-counter pain relievers to provide temporary pain relief. However, if the headache persists, it is imperative to see the dentist as soon as possible so that the wisdom tooth can be examined. The dentist may decide to remove wisdom teeth if the pain becomes unbearable or if the teeth are likely to be causing other problems, overcrowding or infection. If an infected wisdom tooth is left untreated, it can spread the infection to the gums and jaw muscles. If you are a young adult with recurring headaches and the cause is unclear, it is best to make an appointment with your dentist so that he or she can take a look.

Even those who are concerned about proper oral hygiene can face potential health problems that can be associated with the growth of wisdom teeth. Therefore, visit your dentist at Teal Umbrella at least twice a year to have your teeth examined for any signs of wisdom teeth or growth problems.

Swollen And Bleeding Gums

The gums might become swollen and tender to contact when you have an impacted tooth. Also, impacted wisdom teeth begin to bleed when you apply pressure to this area. Because of these symptoms brushing and flossing can be both painful and challenging. Furthermore, keep in mind that gum disease can cause similar indications. Hence, it is significant that you see your dentist for a proper diagnosis as soon as possible.

Can Oral Surgery Be Done For Impacted Wisdom Teeth

If the affected wisdom teeth cause dental problems or pain, they can usually be removed surgically, and this should be done by a dentist.

The problem in doing oral surgery can result in the stiffness of the jaw, resulting in the cause of tension headaches. The surgery can cause post-operative headaches like migraines.

As it can be caused by Anesthesia, pain, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, and blood pressure fluctuations. This is uncommon, and there are other complications that can occur after wisdom tooth extraction surgery.

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How Can Wisdom Teeth Cause Headaches

While the exact cause is unknown, it is believed that wisdom teeth can trigger headaches by putting pressure on the nerves in the jaw. Wisdom teeth can also cause tension headaches by causing the muscles in the jaw to become tight.

If you are experiencing headaches and have wisdom teeth, it is important to talk to your dentist or oral surgeon. They will be able to determine if your wisdom teeth are the cause of your headaches and recommend the best treatment.

What Are The Risks Of Keeping Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth that are impacted or only partly erupted can be difficult to clean and keep free of plaque and tartar. This can lead to gum disease around the wisdom tooth. Impacted or poorly aligned wisdom teeth can also damage other teeth. In some cases, cysts or tumors can form around the impacted wisdom tooth. However, there are also some benefits of keeping wisdom teeth as well.

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What Are Impacted Teeth

If the dentist reveals an impacted tooth, it indicates that the tooth cannot push through the gum. There is the likelihood that other tooth is blocking its way.

In most cases, it may occur at an angle, which is quite common for wisdom teeth. Existing molars at the back of the mouth block them so they erupt only partially. It is true that an impacted tooth can destroy another tooth. They are also more susceptible to decay or infection, as the impacted tooth is difficult to clean.

Other Problems Associated With Wisdom Teeth

According to the Mayo Clinic, impacted wisdom teeth can also cause other problems resulting in pain and headaches, such as:

• Tooth decay. Compared to your other teeth, decay seems to be a higher risk for partially impacted wisdom teeth.
• Cysts. Your wisdom teeth develop in your jawbone in a sac. If the sac fills with fluid and becomes a cyst, it can cause damage to your jawbone, nerves, and teeth.
• Gum disease. If you have an impacted wisdom tooth thats partially erupted, it can be difficult to clean. This can increase your risk of a potentially painful inflammatory gum condition known as pericoronitis.
• Damage to neighboring teeth. An impacted wisdom tooth may push against the second molar, causing damage or increasing the risk of infection.

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When Can We Suspect That Migraine Is Due To The Wisdom Tooth

The first pathology that must be ruled out in the presence of migraine is the retained tooth of the third molar. It is necessary to observe the alterations that exist in the oral cavity. Any small irregularity produces modifications in the nervous system and the nerve cells of the brain. They are easily stimulated by producing electrical activity and as the activity spreads through the brain, temporarily altering various functions of the nervous system.

What Is The Purpose Of Wisdom Teeth

Your wisdom teeth, or third molars, are meant to take the place of a back molar if you should lose a tooth. They help you properly chew and grind up your food.

Our modern jaws are smaller due to lack of nutrition and could cause issues with wisdom teeth growing in but our ancestors had no trouble with their placement due to their wide jaw lines.

There is a wonderful article on how our jaw sizes have changed dramatically due to nutrition from Eric Davis Dental to give you some groundwork on how nutrition affects your jaw and wisdom teeth. Your wisdom teeth do require sufficient space.

Our ancestors ate fresh food off of the land, seasonal food, and got adequate sunlight which provided them Vitamin D. Most of us eat packaged foods, and use sunscreen when we step outside.

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When To See A Dentist

In the past, people commonly had their wisdom teeth removed even if they weren’t causing any problems. Now, most dentists agree that it’s best to leave them alone unless you experience symptoms.10

If your wisdom teeth erupt without complications, you don’t need to see a dentist immediately. Instead, you can monitor the situation at home. Keep an eye out for any changes or problems, and make an appointment as needed.

Mild pain and tenderness are common symptoms that may occur with wisdom teeth. But other symptoms, including bleeding gums, especially when accompanied by jaw pain and gum swelling, may warrant an urgent dentist appointment.

Even if you don’t have problems with your wisdom teeth, persistent bleeding gums are a concern. They could indicate gum disease.

Other signs that could indicate more serious dental issues include:11

• Loose teeth
• Swelling inside or outside your mouth

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, contact your dentist immediately.

Your dentist can examine your mouth and teeth, and take X-rays. They’ll assess your situation and determine whether you need immediate treatment or simple monitoring at home.

Dental Issues That Might Be Causing Your Migraines

Sometimes, dental issues might be responsible for your migraines or worsen your migraine symptoms, making it easy to confuse migraine with dental pain.

Toothache

A toothache caused by untreated cavities, impacted wisdom teeth, or cracked teeth may be the culprit behind your migraine. Your fifth cranial nerve, also known as the trigeminal nerve, is responsible for providing sensation to your teeth, gums, upper lip, and lower lip. Its also linked to chewing and biting. If a toothache irritates one of your trigeminal nerve branches, you may develop a migraine.

Referred Tooth Pain To The Head

Its entirely possible that your nerves are playing tricks on you and youre feeling pain in your head due to tooth decay or advanced gum decay. Named referred pain, this misperception of pain is caused by the trigeminal nerve, which connects parts of your face to your brain. The nerve connections work both ways, so its possible to experience pain in your teeth even if you dont have any dental issues as a result of pain originating elsewhere.

Bruxism

Often caused by stress, muscle or nerve diseases that affect the face, or misaligned teeth, bruxism or the grinding and clenching of your teeth is an example of referred pain to the head. Grinding often occurs during the night, though some individuals may also grind their teeth throughout the day.

Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis

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How Do You Know If You Have Wisdom Teeth

You may not know you have wisdom teeth until they start to come in or it starts causing discomfort. Sometimes, an x-ray of the mouth can show that wisdom teeth are coming in. If you are a young adult and you have other symptoms like intense pain, swelling, or infection, your dentist or oral surgeon will probably recommend removing your wisdom teeth.

Bruxism Or Night Grinding

Grinding the jaw at night is very common. However, it shows very few symptoms except for muscle and jaw pain, as well as headaches triggered by the constant attack of the muscles through agitation and biting down.

If you often wake up with headaches, grinding is one of the first things a dentist will look for.

Usually, teeth grinding can be brought under control with the use of medication or additional anti-grinding mouthpieces. Both medication and an anti-grinding mouthpiece help reduce potential damage to the jaw and teeth.

Grinding can also worsen conditions like arthritis, and trigger further pain due to inflammation.

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How To Relieve Headache From Wisdom Teeth

Headaches can be cured temporarily by over-the-counter pain relievers to get relief from the pain. But if you find headaches to be continuous, especially if you are a young adult, it is better to see a dentist as soon as possible to examine the wisdom teeth.

If the teeth are not grown properly, the dentist may decide to remove the wisdom tooth to prevent the unbearable pain and other problems that can be caused such as infections and the above-listed problems. If it is left untreated the infection can be spread to the gum and jaw muscles.

This issue can come to anyone even those people who are maintaining proper oral hygiene

. Because wisdom teeth are something that cannot be prevented from oral hygiene. So you need to visit a dentist at least twice a year to examine the signs of wisdom teeth.

How Poor Oral Health Is Linked To Migraines

Got a Migraine? See A Dentist: Dental Health Problems Can Trigger Migraines and Headaches

Nearly one in every four U.S. households includes at least one person who experiences migraines. And every ten seconds in America, someone goes to the emergency room seeking relief for head pain.

June is National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. You can help call attention to the impact of these conditions by:

Wearing purple to work and that includes your home workspace! on June 1st, and sharing a pic on social tagged #MHAM and #MHAM2022

Changing your porch light to a purple bulb during June and sharing photos tagged #MHAM and #ShineALight.

What Causes Migraines?

Researchers now believe that migraine is a neurological disorder involving nerve pathways and brain chemicals. But specific triggers raise the risk of having a migraine attack. These include bright light, changes in barometric pressure, allergies, high humidity, hormonal fluctuations, medication overuse, specific smells and foods, lack of sleep and/or high stress.

Migraine and headache pain may also be caused or significantly aggravated by a dental health issue.

How Your Mouth Can Cause Headaches:

There is strong evidence that dental issues can be a contributing factor to headaches. Dental problems are most often related to tension headaches, which are caused by muscle strain between the mouth and jaw. Here is a list of common oral issues that can cause migraines in addition to tooth pain.

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The Link That Binds Teeth And Recurring Migraines

• 3 mins read

If you are tormented by recurring migraines, chances are your teeth has plenty to do with it. Theres enough proof today that teeth and migraines are connected. There is a dental condition called temporomandibular joint dysfunction and it is said to cause those throbbing headaches we all know as migraine. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction or popularly known in dental circles as TMJ is caused by incorrect bite and constant grinding of the teeth.

Your jaw is attached to the skulls temporal bone and any circumstance surrounding your jaw that triggers pain can move up to your heads temporal bone. A headache can take place because of this, and eventually turns into migraine. It can be treated though by means of an equipment called an NTI. The NTI device has been proven to be efficient when it comes to treating TMJ sufferers and likewise,

migraine patients as well. The device is fitted on the patients front teeth and it prevents your chompers from grinding and squeezing. Patients are advised to wear the equipment while sleeping.

Teeth grinding, which can cause TMJ, is not only an adult issue, but it affects plenty of kids as well. If your kid is always complaining of acute headaches, chances are he or she might be grinding without his or her knowledge.

Why Impacted Wisdom Teeth Cause Headaches

The link between wisdom teeth and headaches is not well understood, but there are a few theories. One theory is that when wisdom teeth come in, they can put pressure on the nerves in your head and headaches occur. Another theory is that when wisdom teeth come in, they can crowd other teeth and change the way your bite fits together. This can lead to tension headaches.

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Irritation Of The Trigeminal Nerve

The trigeminal nerve is a large cranial nerve that is responsible for innervating the lower third of the face, including the gum pouch, the lower teeth, the lower lip, the oral mucosa, and the skin of the lower third of the face. It is also responsible for the sensation of pain in these structures. Because of its wide distribution, the trigeminal nerve is susceptible to many different pathologies.

The most common pathology of the trigeminal nerve is trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder characterized by sudden, brief, lancinating pains in the distribution of the nerve. The pain of trigeminal neuralgia is usually unilateral . The main cause of trigeminal neuralgia is degeneration or injury of the nerve. In the vast majority of cases, the cause is unknown.

Contact Us: Wisdom Teeth Cause Migraines

If you have any of these issues and need better guidance, feel free to visitChannel Island Family Dental.

AtChannel Island Family Dental, we will focus on providing you with a timely diagnosis. At the offices inOxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura, Newbury Park and,Santa Paula, they will be able to provide you with the best treatment that will restore your confidence in smiling again

Dr. Gustavo Assatourians

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What Does A Wisdom Tooth Headache Feel Like

The pain of the wisdom tooth is quite deep and it feels like pain in the back of your mouth or in the jaw. Some experience pressure or a feeling of throbbing in the back of the mouth.

This intense pain radiates toward the head, ears, or eyes. As the teeth struggle to complete the growth in the mouth, it causes pressure to build up around other tissues and teeth. So you will feel a great deal of pain in the mouth and head.

The wisdom teeth are hard to clean and will not always grow in as they should. But they have a high chance of getting decay. When the bacteria grow into the open wound created due to the molar in the gum, it can cause infection in the gum.

Tooth Infections That Cause Headache

If a patient has an underlying infection or pus around the tooth or gums, it requires extraction. It is possible to experience swelling, fever, headache or bleeding in such cases. Your dentist will remove a decayed or infected tooth, so it doesnt spread further in your mouth. Moreover, as per your dentists advice, you will likely take medicines before the procedure to feel less pain and more comfort during the treatment. Your dentist will carefully remove and disinfect the affected area. Because headache, tooth pain, or other complications can occur when the slightest traces of gum infection is left behind in your mouth.

In rare cases, an untreated issue or pus can lead to severe life-threatening infection, thus, causing severe headache after tooth extraction.

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How Will You Know If Your Headache Is Caused By Wisdom Teeth

There are several symptoms that can be directly correlated to an impacted wisdom tooth besides headaches. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms along with headaches, you should see a dentist for x-rays of your mouth. Symptoms include things such as:

• Bad breath that does not go away with brushing
• Jaw pain or soreness
• A dull, throbbing sensation in your back teeth
• Pain when opening your mouth wide
• Swelling in your gums
• Difficulty swallowing

These symptoms can also be caused by other dental problems, so it is important to see a dentist to rule out any other possible causes.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your dentist may recommend removing your wisdom teeth. This is often the best course of action to take to relieve headaches and other symptoms caused by impacted wisdom teeth.

Is Your Headache Just A Headache

• Just because you have wisdom teeth erupting does not mean that you are getting a headache because of them. In certain cases, you could simply be experiencing a headache due to other reasons such as mental and physical stress. Or you could also be experiencing frequent headaches due to hormonal changes in your body, especially if the pain is on the sides of the head.

Keep in mind that in adolescence, wisdom teeth are not the only changes being made in your body, there are other things that can be causing a headache.

• With that aside, it isnt very uncommon for headaches to be directly associated with wisdom teeth. As these extra teeth start to erupt or partially erupt, you may be able to adjust how you bite food to accommodate the discomfort. This is actually very common in cases where the wisdom teeth are impacted, causing throbbing pain, or if they are infected.

When you adjust your bite, you also have to move your jaw in a different way which can cause the TMJ to become stressed or in extreme cases, dislocated. This can cause the surrounding muscles to work harder and when these muscles are under constant stress, they can start to spasm and cause pain that can be felt in the neck, head, and face. This could trigger headaches and migraine attacks.

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