Okemos, Lansing, East Lansing MI
There’s more to a good night’s sleep than meets the eye. Sleep helps the brain process memories, promotes hormonal stability and mends damaged tissue. Meanwhile, a lack of sleep negatively affects a person’s immune system and cognitive processes such as memory and problem-solving. Dr. Christine Tenaglia is our Okemos dentist who is specially trained in airway dentistry and sleep apnea, a disorder that prevents uninterrupted sleep.
Today, we’re closely examining the effect that sleep deprivation and mouth breathing can have on oral health … and ways to stop and reverse it.
How can poor sleep impact dental health?
A dentist is usually the first healthcare provider to identify if a patient has a possible sleep issue because of some very specific clues, including a poor bite, more plaque than usual, dry mouth, excessive salivation or an open mouth posture. Dr. Christine Tenaglia specializes in airway dentistry and sleep apnea in Okemos and knows that sleep problems, such as mouth-breathing during sleep, may dry the oral cavity and contribute to excessive plaque buildup. An excess amount of plaque indicates a higher risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease, and a dry mouth from breathing through the mouth can increase the acidity in the oral cavity. This can lead to thinning enamel.
Do you have a sleep disorder?
Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which someone stops breathing during sleep when the soft tissue of the mouth, throat and tongue muscles relax and cause the airway to become blocked. While pauses in breathing usually last only 10 to 20 seconds, they can occur several times a night — up to 100 times in severe cases. When this happens, a message is sent to the human brain that the person is choking. The brain, in turn, startles the person awake to breathe. This prevents a person from entering into the deep, restorative stages of the sleep cycle. This lack of sleep can cause inflammation that can lead to gum disease, extreme daytime weariness, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Other consequences of poor sleep
A lack of sleep leads to extreme daytime fatigue, the inability to concentrate and memory loss. But it has also been linked to bruxism, or the unconscious grinding and clenching of teeth, usually during sleep. Our family dentist in Lansing specializes in the treatment of bruxism, which is not only disruptive to sleep but can also lead to other health problems like headaches and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD). The likelihood of having bruxism is higher in OSA than in patients who don’t have a sleeping disorder. Since bruxism is known to cause gum irritation and fractures, chips and breaks in teeth, treating the condition is critical for maintaining a healthy smile.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in East Lansing and Okemos
Sleep is imperative for a healthy body and mouth, and poor sleep quality will negatively affect oral health. If you have a mild or moderate case of sleep apnea, our airway dentist at Tenaglia Smiles can help you receive a better night’s sleep through the use of oral appliance therapy. A better night’s sleep will lead to a healthier mouth. If you think you may have sleep apnea or if you have any questions about the disorder, call us at Tengalia Smiles, (517) 940-8684, to schedule a consultation today.