Can Snoring Damage Your Oral Health?

Snoring happens when an airway is somewhat or entirely barred when sleeping. As a result, your breathing will become labored and your mouth is opened to allow for additional air flowing. This can lead to a collection of dental problems that our team at Made Ya Smile Rayford, TX can treat. Men and women in Spring, TX who suspect they snore or have sleep apnea can schedule a visit to our practice for snoring solutions that will help their dental well-being and hygine.

The impact of snoring on your dental health

When your mouth remains open while sleeping, saliva dries out. If this happens often, the salivary glands will no longer work and you won’t have enough saliva to help your mouth stay wet. This problem is called xerostomia, a absence of salivary flow. Saliva is needed in order to coat the oral tissues.

A dry mouth is a well-known cause of gum disease and tooth loss in men and women. Saliva is essential in order to maintain the health of the mouth by washing the tongue, your cheeks, and gums of dead cells. If these cells aren’t flushed out regularly, they can create a smell and will likely cause bad breath. Also, if there is inadequate saliva, a tingly feeling may crop up, which might cause burning mouth syndrome.

In the event your mouth is dried out, there could be a pH imbalance that permits acid and plaque to collect and weaken tooth enamel. This might additionally generate pits in your teeth that can lead to cavities. When this is left unaddressed, bacteria can even impact the nerves and tooth roots, resulting in needing root canal therapy in Spring, TX. A cavity also increases the likelihood of infection.

If your mouth is sticky, stinky breath, a dry tongue, or dense saliva, these are each signs that your mouth is not creating sufficient saliva. In more drastic cases of xerostomia, your taste could become impacted. Whether you snore or you suffer from sleep apnea, these dry-mouth problems are the first sign that you should visit our team for dental assistance as soon as possible.

Snoring and sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleeping ailment that occurs when regular breathing is delayed as you sleep. It’s typical with many men and women with sleep apnea, however not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Individuals with oversized tonsils or tongues, small jaws, or a nasal interference such as a deviated septum may be at risk for getting sleep apnea.

If you have it, you will have one of two types of sleep apnea:

1. Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form and is the result of restricted airflow. This occurs when the soft tissue at the back of the throat gives way while you sleep.
2. Central sleep apnea: This type of sleep apnea forms when your brain signals a problem with your breathing muscles. Your airway isn’t always restricted, but the brain can’t correctly notify your muscles to breath.

Your oral health and snoring

While snoring does not mean you will experience tooth loss, it may mean that you will need to be better about your oral health. A common way to combat the dry-mouth results of sleep apnea is to ensure you brush at least two times a day for at least two minutes. Brushing your teeth can help bacteria overgrowth. Daily flossing is equally important because it will get rid of bacteria that will grow at your gumline or in between your teeth.

Bi-annual dental visits at Made Ya Smile Rayford, TX allows our dental team to catch any cavities and if caught, to deal with them while in the early stages. This will help take care of any oral issues before extensive restorative treatments are necessary, like a dental crown.

Ways to help snoring

Men and women who have serious sleep apnea may not be the right candidate for a dental solution. A Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) machine may be a better choice. Additionally, certain patients are not ideal candidates because of separate health issues. Our team thoroughly reviews you and learns about your medical history before we determine whether or not you could have a CPAP.

Made Ya Smile Rayford, TX administers sleep apnea tests to help determine if you would benefit from an oral appliance. This device is used at your house as you sleep and the data are provided to your doctor who will then give approval for you to receive dental appliance therapy from our team in Spring, TX. Dental appliance therapy is a custom-made tool that goes in your mouth while you sleep. It is similar in shape and size to a sports guard. The difference is that this appliance isn’t used to guard the teeth from injury, instead it puts the jaw into a forward arrangement to help keep the airway open. X-rays help our dental team to get a good look at your tongue, teeth, airway, and jaw plainly before constructing your dental appliance.

Addressing snoring with dental appliance therapy

Our team at Made Ya Smile Rayford, TX would love to help determine if snoring and sleep apnea could be impacting your oral wellness. If you believe your snoring is developing into a problem and you want to get more information on all of the snoring treatments available in Spring, TX, arrange an appointment at our facility as soon as possible!