Besides headaches, you may experience pain in your teeth, jaw, and face.
Many other reasons can cause headaches, but if the pain is when you wake up, it could be due to temporomandibular joint disorder, and guess what? Bruxism is a contributing factor in these disorders. When you clench your teeth in your sleep, the joint suffers a high amount of stress, which is why you wake up with a tender and painful joint area; therefore, many people look for night guards in Winnipeg to reduce stress and headaches.
TMJ Disorders
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jaw with your temporal bone. When you have a disorder if this articulation, you can experience one or a combination of the following symptoms:
· Pain in your face, jaw, and neck.
· Pain and ringing in your ear.
· Clicking sounds.
· Tiredness in your face.
· Dental pain.
· The lock of your jaw.
· Jaw swelling.
If you feel related to the symptoms above, maybe it is time to look for night guards near you. You may visit our dentist in Winnipeg, who is specialized in managing pain associated with TMJ and will guide you during the treatment.
Night Guards
A night guard is a dental device that protects your teeth and prevents your enamel from wearing off. Besides offering protection to your dental pieces, it also guards your face, jaw, tongue, lips, gums, and even your dental restorations.
The correct way to wear them is during your sleep. You will fit the guard over your upper teeth (you can also wear it over your bottom teeth, but it is more likely to be designed for top teeth); this way, your upper and lower teeth won't grind together, and it will reduce the pressure from your TMJ.
If you are interested in getting a night guard, there are two ways to obtain then:
1. In a dentist's office near you – It is the best decision you can make. Your dental professional will create a custom-made guard for you, so it fits perfectly and doesn't fall out. Since they are personally customized, they will be more comfortable to wear, and there is little risk of getting injured with them.
2. Over-the-counter guards – You may find over-the-counter guards in almost any pharmacies; however, we advise you to go with the first option because over-the-counter products will likely not fit you properly and can harm your gums. Also, there are many types and materials available; hence, a dental professional will let you know which one is best for you, according to the severity of your teeth grinding and your personal preferences.
Keep Up With Your Checkups
If you are wearing a night guard, your dentist will monitor it during your dental checkups and make any adjustments if needed. He or she will also recommend different strategies to help you with your bruxism and teach you many exercises to stretch and relax the joint area.
If your headaches are too severe, you may take over-the-counter pain medication to manage it. Your dentist might also prescribe you muscle relaxants.
Schedule Your Appointment
If your headaches are due to TMJ disorder, our team of doctors will help you alleviate them, and if needed, customize the right night guard for you. Improving your life quality is one phone call away!