When you’re sleeping, and your breathing gets interrupted in between, it is because of sleep apnea. The relationship between sleep and apnoea and oral health is often not looked into properly. Sleep apnea can have a severe impact on a person’s health, which is why it should not be overlooked.
In Memphis, you can find many dental clinics or scary dentists who can help you with such a condition. Dentists know how to diagnose sleep apnea income and how to treat it. In this blog, we are going to see how the dentist plays a significant role in treating sleep apnea and improving the oral health of the person.
Memphis, TN dental practice is one such place where people suffering from sleep apnea or other dental conditions can get their condition treated. Dentists have the required knowledge to make the diagnosis, consider the requirements of the person individually, and treat them properly.
How are sleep apnea and oral health connected?
You should know what exactly happens in sleep apnea. The person’s air passage gets blocked, which makes it difficult for the person to breathe properly. The air passage can either get blocked entirely or partially. Either way, the sleep, in return, gets interrupted.
The number of times the interruption takes place during the night varies significantly; it can even be hundreds of times. This can result in poor sleep, and the quality of sleep is affected as well. Let us now look at how sleep apnea and oral health are connected:
● Teeth grinding or bruxism:
Sleep apnea is often associated with teeth grinding. Teeth grinding is not suitable for oral health because there can be jaw pain or other issues like teeth sensitivity.
● Dry mouth:
You should know that those who have sleep apnea have difficulty breathing, which we have already established, and in order to compensate, they start to breathe from their mouth. Now, this is going to make their mouth dry as a result.
If a person has a dry mouth, it can potentially lead to gum diseases and other oral health problems. More bacteria get attracted, thereby leading to problems for your oral health.
● Contributing to tooth decay:
Since the production of saliva gets reduced in sleep apnoea, it can attract bacteria and also increase the chances of tooth decay. The acidity in the mouth also increases significantly, giving room for bacteria to attack.
What are the signs of sleep apnea?
There are various signs of sleep apnea, some of which are listed here:
- Snoring loudly
- Feeling like you are being choked or gasping for air.
- Feeling sleepy during daytime
- Not being able to concentrate properly
- Getting frequent headaches even during daytime
- Easily getting irritated
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, seek help from a professional. Do not delay or make the condition worse; dental intervention will be required in such scenarios.
What are the treatment options for sleep apnea?
There are various dental appliances that can be of great help in reducing the symptoms of sleep apnea. However, such appliances cannot completely cure sleep apnea. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is one technique that can help manage sleep apnea effectively.
You can learn more about treatment options by working with your dentist. They will assess your condition thoroughly and then accordingly come up with treatment options for you. Only a professional can tell you about the best way to deal with such a problem. Oral appliances are also custom-made by the dentist to suit your requirements and effectively manage your symptoms.
Not being able to sleep at night? Seek professional help!
If you are struggling with sleep apnea and you know that the symptoms are going along with the condition, it is essential that you seek help from a dentist by working with your dentist.
You can curate a treatment plan that would suit your requirements and manage your symptoms effectively. Dentists can make customized treatment plans and make sure that your needs are taken care of.