Last Updated on November 18, 2022 by Dr. Saumya Saluja
Migraines are severe and persistent headaches that significantly reduce the quality of life and impose significant financial costs. There is a possibility that migraines can be a result of some oral issues. Hence, this review discusses whether tooth cavity can cause migraines, as well as the various dental causes of migraine and how to handle it.
Can cavities in the teeth induce migraines?
Yes, but not all of the time. Untreated tooth decay can result in chronic abscesses, causing excruciating dental pain. Since the trigeminal nerve transmits both headaches and toothaches. Thus, it is well-known that migraine can occur due to trigeminal nerve distributions imitating toothache, but there are rare instances of toothache manifesting as headaches. Another well-known phenomenon is that any painful distress to the territory of the trigeminal nerves can cause headaches in patients who are predisposed to headache conditions. Therefore, toothache should not be overlooked while managing migraine headaches.
What are the other primary oral causes of migraine attacks?
Migraines can be a result of a wide range of causes. The most common are teeth grinding or clenching, impacted wisdom teeth, cracked tooth as well as complications from untreated dental cavities. Some conditions can cause migraines even if they have nothing to do with tooth-related problems or headache disorders. These include sinus infections, trigeminal neuralgia, and TMJ disorders.
How should toothache-induced migraine be managed?
One should not overlook the ability of oral pathologies to cause or contribute to headaches. Such patients usually necessitate a multidisciplinary approach that includes both the dentist and the neurologist. A comprehensive dental history, head, neck, and oral examination, panoramic and/or periapical dental X-rays, and pulp vitality testing performed by a dental professional can aid in determining the contributing factors and the source of the problem.
Patients can also take some preventive measures to help with pain relief. These primarily include drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, and taking prescribed pain relievers.
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