Sleep Apnea and Your Teeth

Sleep Apnea and Your Teeth

Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that can wreck a good night’s sleep. Night after night, it takes a toll on your health. It can also affect your dental health.

Grinding Your Teeth

Tooth grinding, which is also known as bruxism, is often a symptom of sleep apnea. Signs of tooth grinding include worn tooth enamel, jaw pain, and chipped or broken teeth.

If you think you’re grinding your teeth when you sleep, try these self-care methods to reduce it.

• Wear a dental guard. Your dentist can prescribe a mouthguard or dental guard that you wear at night to keep your teeth from grinding.

• Reduce your stress levels. Learn to meditate, practice yoga, and take other steps to reduce your anxiety. Stress is a chief cause of bruxism.

• Cut down on caffeine. Keep yourself calm with herbal tea or warm milk, especially in the evening.

• Eat magnesium-rich foods. Magnesium helps regulate mood and relax muscle tissues. It’s found in cooked spinach, almonds, bananas, fish, and other foods.

• Do muscle and jaw exercises. Try to keep your upper and lower teeth separated whenever you can, so you can get used to keeping a space between them. To relax your jaws, open your mouth wide, and touch your tongue to your front teeth. Do this several times a day.

These remedies will help you deal with teeth grinding. If your teeth grinding is caused by sleep apnea, you may experience other tooth problems.

Dental Problems Caused by Sleep Apnea

Signs of sleep apnea may show up in your teeth. If your dentist notices uneven wear on your teeth, this may be a sign that you have apnea.

You may also experience:

• Sharp jaw pain
• Pain while chewing
• Constant headaches
• Aching facial muscles

Do You Have Sleep Apnea?

If your dentist determines that you’re a nighttime tooth grinder, you must find out if you have sleep apnea. The best way is to undergo a sleep study.

During a sleep study, you spend the night at a sleep clinic. While you sleep, a device measures your brain waves, oxygen levels, heart rate, and other factors.

Treating Sleep Apnea

If a sleep study finds that you have apnea, your doctor will recommend a treatment plan. Typically, you’ll have to sleep with a special machine that regulates your breathing at night.  If you find that a CPAP is intolerable, you may benefit from an oral appliance that can increase airflow to help you breathe.

If a machine doesn’t work or you don’t want to use one, you can try these remedies:

• Change your sleeping position. Some people only have apnea when they sleep on their backs.
• Use a mouthguard regularly to keep your airways open.
• Lose weight. Obesity can worsen the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Contact Us for Help with Your Tooth Grinding

If you’re concerned about your nighttime grinding, contact Malan Family Dentistry. We can fit you with a custom mouthguard to help you breathe easier while you sleep.