Why Do I Get a Headache After Dental Work?

Going to the dentist is difficult enough for many of us. That’s without enduring a painful headache after the dental work is done.

This article outlines the causes of headache following dental procedures, including routine cleaning, and what you can do about them.

Causes of Tension Headache After Dental Work

There are several factors that can contribute to tension headaches after your dental work:

Stress

Stress can cause you to unknowingly grind or clench your teeth. While there aren’t too many people who look forward to their next visit to the dentist, the stress and fear experienced by some can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, with Enamel Dental, you can stress-less! Stress headaches brought on by dental visits can be managed through communication, management of stress, and (in some cases) IV sedation or oral sedation.

For information about sedation during your next dentist visit, read our blog post on the topic.

Spasm

Muscle spasms from opening your jaw wide during the extraction or dental procedure may cause muscular and joint pains. This pain may lead to headaches or migraines.

Headache After Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction, even those without complications, can be a traumatic event for your body. The physical forces required often cause small fractures or tears around the site but can also cause a misalignment in the cranium – known as cranial somatic dysfunction – in severe cases. This can result in headaches and neck pain.

Sinus Headaches After Dental Cleaning

Dental infections and dental cleaning procedures can both lead to sinusitis in some cases. This is an infection in the sinuses that is usually accompanied by a runny nose, dull headache and/or toothache. It may require antibiotics or treatment of the bothersome tooth.

Headaches After Anesthesia

Many patients report suffering headaches after procedures requiring local and general anesthetics. These reactions are most frequently reported when anesthetics are administered to the spine. But, it’s not unheard of for people who have received local anesthetic to feel nausea, pain, fatigue, and mild headaches.

Headaches Can Indicate Oral Health Issues

So, while your headache might result from dental work. It can also indicate that it’s time to see a dentist.

Bruxism (or teeth clenching), for example, is known to cause headaches when it is severe and occurs frequently.

Where does that leave you?

Headaches shouldn’t go untreated. If you’re experiencing headaches following dental treatment, consult with your dentist or physician (or both) to work out the root cause and appropriate treatment.

If you’re experiencing headaches that seem to radiate from your jaw, it might be worth booking an appointment with your Enamel Dental dentist instead of your GP.

In any event, consult a medical professional so you can be on your way towards a pain and headache-free life.

Healthy Teeth, Healthy Life

Regular visits to your dentist help you stay happy and healthy into the future. With Enamel Dental, your visit to the dentist will give you plenty of reasons to smile.

Book an appointment with us today!

We’re taking bookings from New Patients – as well as those friendly, smiling faces we’ve seen before.

Deep cleaning of teeth side effects, and how to deal with them

Wow, we have come a long way! We have talked about the deep cleaning procedure and its aftercare so far. Now you might be wondering if there are any side effects to this procedure. As with any other medical procedure yes, there are a few side effects to the deep cleaning process, such as sensitivity, pain, risk of infection, etc. But nothing to worry about! The majority of these side effects are short-term and usually resolve within a week. 

Are there any side effects of deep teeth cleaning?

To put it in a nutshell, yes, there are side effects. Most of them are temporary and usually go away after a week or so. During that time you should keep up with your oral hygiene routine to make sure none of the side effects cause any long-term problems for you. Maintaining good dental hygiene after your deep cleaning dentist visit will ensure great results and fewer complications afterward.

So what are the side effects of deep teeth cleaning? Let’s talk about a deep cleaning of teeth’ side effects!

You may have sensitivity

Teeth sensitivity is one of the main and most common side effects of deep teeth cleaning. But why does it happen? The plaque buildup and tartar buildup on the surface of your teeth act like a barrier. So removing that bacterial buildup can lead to more sensitive teeth. This is one of the temporary and most common side effects of deep teeth cleaning that usually resolves by itself in a few days.

You may have pain during the procedure but not after

Sorry to say this but deep cleaning teeth can cause pain, but the whole procedure is not a painful one. For the procedure itself, either your dental hygienist or your dentist will numb you up. They usually use a local anesthetic or a numbing gel to help ease the pain during the procedure and make you more comfortable. If you feel any pain during your deep teeth cleaning process tell your dentist so they can take care of it.

After deep cleaning teeth and gums, you might feel pain and be uncomfortable. In most cases, people experience normal amounts of pain after deep cleaning therapy, but to ease that pain you can take over-the-counter painkillers.  

If you are one of the lucky few who experiences slight pain, or no pain at all you won’t need over-the-counter pain medications.

You may have a headache after deep cleaning

This is one of the rare deep cleaning of teeth side effects, nevertheless, it might happen. Due to the close proximity of our teeth and head, you might feel some sort of discomfort or slight pain. For this, you can use over-the-counter pain relievers as well. You can also use a cold compress or an ice pack and place it on your jaw for comfort. The headache will resolve in a few hours. If your headache persists you should go to the emergency room immediately.

It may give you an infection

How is that possible? Let us explain. During the deep teeth cleaning process your gums get tender, and there might be minor nicks and cuts happening which is totally normal. This could lead to a higher risk of infection after your procedure. When your dentist is done with the deep cleaning treatment, sometimes they might put some antibiotics in your periodontal pockets. Other than that, they would recommend using antimicrobial mouthwash or warm salt water rinse to reduce the chances of infection following the deep cleaning teeth procedure.

It may cause teeth gaps

Naturally, our teeth have a bit of space between them. That is where usually the food deposits are formed and therefore cause bacteria build-up. Over time this leads to the accumulation of plaque and gum recession in those spaces. So after your deep cleaning appointments, those spaces will look more pronounced. After a while, your gums will grow into these spaces. So this is more of a temporary deep cleaning of teeth side effect.

It may cause sore and bleeding gums

After gum scaling and root planing, your gums will be more sensitive since they have been probed. The scaler that the dentist uses has a sharp tip and that can cause small cuts as well. All of this makes your gums swollen and more prone to bleeding. Remember minor bleeding is not a problem and it will go away in two days, but if there is any excessive bleeding, you should go to your dentist immediately.

It may cause gum recession

During your dental cleaning procedure, your dentist or dental hygienists will push your gums a bit back and away from your teeth to clean out the deep gum pockets. It also provides better access to the root surfaces. This is part of the process and it will not cause long-term gum recession. In most people, the gum tissue will grow back and reattach itself to the roots of teeth. But in some people, this might not happen after root planing, and they might end up with even more gum recession.

Risk of nerve damage

Sounds scary but don’t be alarmed. This is one of the rare side effects of deep cleaning teeth treatment. Nerve damage is mostly very unlikely, but in people with underlying diseases, such as Sjogren’s syndrome, vasculitis, or lupus which are all autoimmune diseases. If you do not have any of these diseases, it is highly unlikely for this to happen. In any case, talk with your dentist and voice your concern.

Are deep cleaning procedures safe?

After reading about all these common deep cleaning of teeth side effects, you might be second guessing whether to go through it or not. Is deep cleaning procedure even safe? We are here to say yes it is safe. The deep teeth cleaning process like any other dental procedure carries some side effects and potential risks but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. It only means you should be cautious and open with your dentist. If you have a licensed dentist who has good experience and you have seen their work then you have nothing to worry about.

Another thing that makes it safe is deep cleaning teeth aftercare. Yes, the aftercare is part of the procedure as well. The work is not finished at the dentist’s office. The more you care about your oral health the fewer complications you will have and all in all, you will be safer.

At Dentfix we have made it our moral obligation and it is our pleasure to provide you with all the information necessary so you can make an informed decision.

So if you have any questions or concerns you can easily contact us! Our medical assistants are more than happy to help you and they will get back to you as soon as possible!

References:

-Szymaitis D., et al. “A retrospective analysis of a large case series investigating a novel non-incisional periodontal therapy.” Journal of Dentistry and Oral Hygiene 12.1 (2020): 1-10. Link

Headache after visiting the dentist

Visiting the dentist is a very unpleasant experience. The presence of headaches after visiting the dental office is a common case. If a doctor removes or prescribes treatment for a diseased tooth, a headache may appear.

It can be caused by the following:

• Side effect from medicines;
• Severe dental disease;
• Poor condition of the mouth;
• Large number of teeth being treated;
• Poor condition of the organism as a whole, the presence of chronic diseases;
• Old age of the patient;

In most cases, pain caused by the cessation of the action of the painkiller resolves on its own. If the pain only intensifies, it is necessary to take an analgesic and consult a specialist for advice.

One of the possible causes of headaches may be the removal of a diseased tooth. Especially often headaches appear when a wisdom tooth is removed (the procedure is not always simple). This type of operation tends to break the bone tissue and gums, which leads to pain.

Headaches are very common when correcting malocclusion. Pain can be of various types:

• Pain in the ear;
• Pain in the temporal part of the head;
• Occurrence of pain in the occiput;

If clear treatment instructions are followed, this type of headache resolves in a short time.

The occurrence of headaches after the use of anesthesia

Very often, dentists use local anesthesia for dental treatment. After the transfer of anesthesia, many patients experience headaches. There are several reasons for this kind of pain:

• Intolerance to anesthesia or incorrect choice of medication;
• Location of diseased tooth in distant places;

Most often, the headache is aching in nature and tends to increase with movement of the head.

If headaches began after the extraction of a diseased tooth, it is necessary to find the cause of the pain, this may be a complication of the operation.

Headache associated with dental complications

Many patients experience headaches after visiting the dentist. Various factors can contribute to the appearance of a pain symptom:

• The appearance of complications that manifested themselves during dental treatment;
• Intolerance and allergic reactions to the use of preparations;
• Contraindications for tooth extraction;
• Appearance of a specific smell in the place of dental treatment;
• Presence of inflammation of the tissues of the oral cavity;
• The presence of swelling of the tissues of the oral cavity;

Most often, pain occurs in several places. They begin in the jaw and gradually spread throughout the head. Pain can be both sharp and aching. Complications after going to the dentist may depend on the presence of certain diseases in the patient:

• Very often, pain occurs in patients with diabetes. The headache may last for a long time;
• Disease of the ears which may progress during dental treatment and cause pain in the head;
• Delaying the visit to a specialist, which causes severe diseases of the teeth and gums, which are accompanied by pain symptoms of the head;

If symptoms of a complication occur, you must go to the hospital for an effective treatment. The occurrence of headaches may be due to the progression of certain dental diseases. Such as:

• Periodontitis – there is aching pain in the temporal parts of the head;
• Alveolitis – there are severe pains that have their origin in the jaw area;

Headaches after dental implantation

Pain may occur during the recovery period and after dental implant surgery. Usually after surgery, headaches accompany patients for several days. The reason for the appearance of pain lies in the inflammatory processes in the tissues surrounding the implant. In case of severe pain, the doctor prescribes an anesthetic. If the pain does not go away within five days, you should contact a specialist who will check the implants for surgical complications and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Methods for treating headaches after dental intervention

If the head hurts for a long time, the dentist prescribes treatment using the following drugs:

• Anti-inflammatory drugs – help relieve inflammation;
• Analgesics – relieve pain;
• Antispasmodics – relieve spasms that cause pain;

If the cause of pain is inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, then initially the presence of toxins should be eliminated, which are eliminated by the use of antibiotics, only after that the prescribed drugs should be used.

These drugs should be taken under the supervision of the attending physician. It is contraindicated to use such drugs for patients suffering from stomach diseases.

Elimination of pain with folk remedies

If you experience headache after a recent visit to the dentist, you must first identify the cause of the disease. It is impossible to do this on your own without visiting a doctor. You can use some traditional medicine, but before using them, you should consult your doctor.

• Drinking mint tea – well eliminates spasms, reducing headaches;
• Freshly prepared viburnum juice – drunk with headaches, one hundred grams twice a day for five days;
• The use of hot foot baths – a proven folk way to relieve headaches;

You should be aware that the occurrence of headaches after dental treatment may be one of the first prerequisites for the occurrence of more dangerous diseases. Pain means that inflammatory processes occur in the body, so you need to consult a specialist, you should not self-medicate.

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You have had a periodontal cleaning: what is important to know

What effect can you feel immediately?

Even after the first stage of treatment, your bleeding, itching and burning gums will most likely decrease or completely disappear. The surface of the teeth will become smooth, and the mobile teeth will be somewhat strengthened.

Permissible states after procedure:

• After a periodontal cleaning, you have developed or increased tooth sensitivity to cold, hot, sour, and sweet. This is a normal reaction to treatment and is associated with the removal of plaque. Sensitivity can go away within 1-2 weeks if you use special toothpastes or liquids that cover the teeth. Your doctor has prescribed them for you. But in case of severe pain, be sure to consult your periodontist.

• Soreness of the gums when brushing your teeth, discomfort when you eat spicy, salty and hot. In the first days after cleaning, this is normal.

• The roots of the teeth are a little exposed, but this should not cause concern. With deep gum pockets or severe inflammation, gum shrinkage is inevitable.

• All that is required of you in between visits to the doctor is hygiene – so healing will be quick.

When should I see a doctor?

• Temperature increase.

• Swelling of the soft tissues of the face.

• Increased bleeding gums.

What additional hygiene products do you need besides brush and paste?

• dental floss or brush,

• irrigator (required if you have orthopedic structures – crowns, “bridges”),

• super flosses (clear the spaces under the “bridges”),

• single-beam brush (for hard-to-reach tooth surfaces),

• conditioners.

What should not be done after periodontal cleaning?

• Try not to eat for 2 hours – drink only plain water. Often the gum is covered with a special dressing after treatment, which must be absorbed.

• On the first day, do not eat or drink: carbonated drinks, sour juices, lemon, coloring foods (black tea, coffee, red wine, beets, berries).