Over 25% of the adult population in the United States suffer from severe headaches. If you have ever had one of these severe headaches, you know it is no joke. Severe headaches can cause nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, irritability, and an inability to work or take care of daily activities. Did you know that many of these severe headaches can be caused by something other than migraines?

Dental Issues Can Cause Severe Headaches

Several dental issues can cause severe headaches. Here are just a few of the conditions that might make your head hurt.

TMD

One of the leading causes of severe headaches is a temporomandibular joint disorder or TMD. Your temporomandibular joints are the joints that open and close your jaw. This joint not only moves up and down but side to side as well. If you have TMD, one of the signs of a problem is a severe headache. You may also have ear pain as well as pain in your joint.

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are also called third molars. While they were necessary when people lived in caves and ate food raw, they are not necessary now. Many people suffer from impacted wisdom teeth in their late teens or early 20s. If your wisdom teeth are impacted, they cannot break the surface of your gums. This can cause severe headaches. Impacted wisdom teeth can also become abscessed or infected, which can also cause severe headaches.

Tooth Decay

If you have severe tooth decay in one or more of your teeth, the infected tooth may be causing your tooth nerve to become inflamed as well. Inflamed nerves can cause severe headaches, especially as the infection becomes more severe.

People who suffer from severe headaches should get their headaches checked by a physician as well as a dental professional. There are dental treatments that can rid you of those serious headaches.