Do you get frequent headaches or migraines?

Many people get frequent headaches or migraines and go to their primary care, neurologists, have MRIs, end up on unnecessary meds and come up empty handed as to the reason. Did you know that a very common cause for this is clenching your teeth? An astute dentist can distinguish between clenching and grinding your teeth by observing the enamel wear pattern on your teeth. Many people are aware of clenching during the day as a stress release habit but this is uncontrollable during your sleep state.

Clenching can also lead to tooth fractures and bone loss around your teeth which is evident by gum recession. The reason that clenching leads to headaches is because of excessive head and neck muscle activity in response to the clenching. A simple demonstration of this is for you to clench your teeth while you put your index fingers in your temple region of your head above and to the side of your eyebrows. When you clench your jaw muscles and your back teeth hit, the muscles in the side of your head (temporalis) triggers in response to your jaw muscles. All muscles in your body have counter muscles that balance them and get triggered off. This effect can also continue up your head to the back and into your neck region as well. Now put the end of a pencil or pen between your front teeth and clench again holding the same part of your head. Notice that the head muscle activity is significantly decreased or absent!

In our office, we have made many hundreds of simple dental appliances that fit over your front teeth only to separate your back teeth (like the pencil did). Your jaw muscles can create about 600 pounds per square inch (PSI) when your back teeth hit to chew food. When only your front teeth hit, your jaw muscles creates about 60 PSI! At 10% of muscle capacity, keeping your back teeth apart prevents the other head muscles from triggering therefore decreasing the severity and frequency of headaches! This appliance is FDA approved for migraine therapy! If you’d like an evaluation for this simple and inexpensive device, feel free to contact us.

For more information, you can contact Dr. Michael Krochak at

drk@nycsmilespa.com

NYC Smile Spa

30 E. 60th St., Rm 1201

New York, NY 10022

(212) 838-2900

Relax and smile!