The efficacy of oral habit modification on headache

• Published in: Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Vol. 43; no. 6; pp. 401 - 406
• Main Authors: Agha-Hosseini, Farzaneh, Sheykhbahaei, Nafiseh, Mirzaii-Dizgah, Iraj, Fatehi, Farzad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한구강악안면외과학회 30-12-2017; Korean Association Of Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Subjects: Para-functional habits; Headache; Temporomandibular joint disorders; Self-care
• ISSN: 2234-7550; 2234-5930

Objectives: Headache is the most common complaint of patients suffering from temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs). Thus, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) examinations maybe necessary in patients with headache. Considering the high prevalence of bruxism and TMDs in patients with headache the effects of conservative TMD treatment on headache should be assessed. Materials and Methods: Patients were questioned about headaches in the past three months. Those responding affirmatively to this question were examined for TMD and bruxism. After the examinations, 219 patients remained in the study and received self-management instructions. Patients were requested to modify oral habits except when eating or sleeping. The degree of pain (visual analogue scale), headache disability index (HDI), frequency of headaches (FH) per month and TMD intensity were evaluated. Results: The median levels of pain, HDI, FH, and TMD intensity were 8, 44, 8, and 7, respectively, before modifying oral habits and decreased to 4, 24, 2, and 3, respectively, after intervention. These decreases were statistically significant. Conclusion: Having patients maintain free space between the teeth and relax muscles can be an efficient method to treat headache and TMD, especially when repeated frequently.