Posted by Fatima Khalil
Tuesday, 07 February 2023 10:00 AM
Sleep greatly affects our health, and lack of sleep may harm your health and exacerbate psychological problems and weight gainand damage to your heart, and even damage to oral health, so if you suffer from dental problems in addition to lack of sleep, the reason for this may be that poor-quality sleep cycles have bad effects on oral health, which we learn regarding its causes in the following lines, According to the “Health” website.
A good night’s sleep prevents gum disease from developing and also helps prevent bad breath, mouth ulcers, sensitive teeth, and other oral health issues.
However, if your sleep cycle is off track, you may experience a variety of dental issues, such as:
-Sleep Apnea
Temporomandibular joint disorders
Mouth breathing – gingivitis
5 dental problems associated with sleep disorders
1. Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder. Sleep apnea occurs when your airway is either partially or completely blocked while you’re asleep. Every time this happens, your body’s oxygen levels drop and you wake up.
Most of these patients have a habit of breathing through their mouth which then leads to bad breath etc.
2. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
TMJ disorders and sleep apnea are related to each other. The TMJ acts as a joint from the lower jaw through to the upper jaw.
Symptoms of TMJ disorder include:
Pain all over the neck, head and shoulders
– Trouble chewing
There may be clicking or grinding sounds in the jaw joints
Closed jaw, unable to keep the jaw open for an extended period of time
You feel jaw pain, especially following waking up in the morning.
3. Bruxism
Bruxism or grinding of teeth, while it can occur at any time throughout the day, it usually occurs when a person is asleep. Teeth grinding has negative effects on your sleep, including waking up with headaches, neck pain, clicking jaws, and jaw pain.
Teeth grinding is a side effect of sleep disturbance. Uncontrolled and involuntary jaw movement is seen during sleep, and severe bruxism suffers from tooth sensitivity due to erosion of the enamel layer.
Signs of bruxism include worn teeth, erosion of the teeth, or cracked and broken teeth.
4. Mouth breathing
Mouth breathing is when a person breathes through the mouth causing a dry mouth which leads to tooth decay.
Other problems with dry mouth include plaque, mouth ulcers, gingivitis, and gum disease.
5. Gingivitis
Gingivitis Gingivitis is observed in conditions such as mouth breathing, snoring, and people with gnashing habits.
If you are experiencing any of the following issues mentioned below, this is a pointer for you when to visit the dentist:
• Grinding and grinding of teeth during sleep
• Tightness and pain in the jaw joints
• Painful spots due to involuntary cheek biting
• Mild headache that begins near the ear and spreads towards the temples
Dry mouth