What is the connection between sleep apnea and oral health?

Are you getting a good night's sleep? Sleep-related breathing disorders can have a negative effect on your oral health. Snoring and insomniac are both signs of a sleeping disorder known as, sleep apnea. This disorder can disrupt your sleep cycle caused by repeated breathing patterns due to the collapse of the upper airway. These natural pauses in breathing can last anywhere in between a few seconds to a few minutes.

There are three types of sleep apnea including:

• Obstructive sleep apnea - Occurs when the muscles that support the soft tissues in your throat, such as your tongue and soft palate, temporarily relax. When this happens, your airway is narrow or closed and breathing is momentarily cut off.
• Central sleep apnea - Occurs when the brain fails to signal the muscles that control your breathing.
• Complex sleep apnea - Occurs as a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea can cause more issues than just your sleep quality. In fact, the connection between sleep apnea and oral health is the significant increase in tooth decay and gum disease. Dry mouth, teeth grinding, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) are all risks that can be increased by sleep apnea. A dry mouth allows bacteria to do more damage to your mouth as it also creates foul breath. The motion of teeth grinding allows the mouth to open when it narrows or collapses, causing obstructive sleep apnea. TMD can also be the result of pushing the jaw forward to open the airway.

Some common signs of sleep disorders are:

• Snoring most or every time you sleep
• Waking up with a headache or jaw pain
• Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Waking up feeling tired and lasting all-day

This can affect people of all ages and if you experience any of these symptoms, please inform your dental provider. They are able to recognize signs of sleep apnea due to worn enamel, high amounts of tooth decay, or severe gum disease. More than likely, you will be asked about your sleeping habits and may recommend a solution.

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