Serenity Dental & Orofacial Wellness
Can Jaw Clenching Cause Headaches?
Yes, when the muscles responsible for chewing stay tense for long periods, that tension does not always stay in one place, and it can radiate outward into head, face, or temple pain.
This is a pattern we see often in patients dealing with jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and other TMJ-related symptoms. Some people clench their jaw during the day, often without realizing it, while others primarily grind or clench at night during sleep. Either pattern can play a role in headaches from jaw clenching, and understanding the connection is part of what we focus on in orofacial wellness care at Serenity Dental & Orofacial Wellness in Burlingame.
How Can Jaw Clenching Cause a Headache?
Every time you clench, you are repeatedly contracting the same muscles you rely on for chewing. These muscles run along the sides of your jaw and connect up toward your temples. When they stay tight for hours at a time, that tension can spread beyond the jaw itself, which may cause headaches.