Joy Lunan DDS News

Keep Waking Up With Headaches?

If the first thing you feel in the morning is a headache or pain behind your

eyes or pain in your neck and shoulders, please come in for a visit. What

you’re  experiencing could be the result of problems in your mouth. These

are common symptoms of a condition known as temporomandibular joint

disorder (TMJ), which basically means that your jaws don’t align properly.

This misalignment stresses the jaw joints, putting pressure on nerves

and muscles – which can result in morning headaches, migraines or

facial and neck pain.

Not everyone with TMJ disorder shows symptoms. And not everyone has

headaches or pain; TMJ disorder can also lead to broken teeth or fillings,

loose teeth and toothaches. What is certain is that if you do display any

of these symptoms, they won’t get better without professional help.

Many people find that resting the jaw helps ease the pain. You can do

this by eating soft foods, avoiding chewing gum and hard candies. We

can also show you jaw exercises to stretch the jaw joints and relieve

stress. For most people, the most effective treatment is a custom dental

splint that fits over your upper and lower teeth. This reduces the damage

done from repeated clenching of the jaw or teeth grinding.

If these conservative methods don’t work, you still have other options.

The temporomandibular joints can be flushed out, or an injection of

cortisone can help relieve inflammation and pain. Worse-case scenario,

you might need surgery. Come in for a visit and we’ll help you find the

right solution.

We are here to answer you questions and address your concerns.

Please call anytime.  (203) 598-7920