The effects of snoring and sleep apnea on your oral health include:
- Drying out your mouth by decreasing saliva production. Saliva protects and heals you gums, tongue, and teeth, and a reduction in saliva would cause more cavities as well as damage to your oral tissues.
- Loosening of teeth. Individuals who suffer from chronic snoring and sleep apnea have longer episodes where they gasp for air in their sleep and this dries out the sockets of your teeth, loosening the foundation and making your teeth less stable.
- Individuals with sleep apnea also are more likely to clench and grind while they sleep. Bruxing (the scientific term for clenching and grinding), can damage the enamel of teeth, lead to headaches, toothaches, and cause as well as contribute to TMJ disorder.
- Sleep apnea decreases the quality of one’s sleep, and as such, victims are tired and petulant from sleep deprivation.
- There is a correlation between sleep apnea and heart disease, heart attacks, depression, Type II Diabetes, certain cancers, strokes, and pregnancy complications including low birth-weight.
If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, or if you would like to know more about the condition, please give us a call at our Hamilton, Ontario office to book an appointment with Drs. Bommarito, Zariczniak and Cascioli.
