We often end up in the hospitals due to grave, life-threatening conditions. However, if we reflect, we will be able to figure out that our body did try to give some indications to us about something being wrong. Visiting the dentist regularly can make you aware of many life-threatening conditions. Visiting a dental clinic might just save you from a lot of pain and discomfort later on as it helps in the early detection of various health conditions. Through this post, we want to establish the link between discuss men’s dental health and their snoring and sleep disorder.
Snoring and Dental Health
Snoring, caused by the relaxation of the mouth and throat muscles during sleep, can turn into something dangerous if proper precautions are not taken. The tongue can fall back into the airway while sleeping in a snoring person.
It can lead to a condition called Obstructive sleep apnea, which manifests in the form of pauses in breathing during sleep. These may be for a duration of 10 to 20 seconds. The number of apneas occurring throughout the night is assessed during the sleep test, also called polysomnograph. It is not a disease to be taken lightly. If your breathing is paused during deep sleep, there will be a scarcity of oxygen which will be devastating for the neurons. It might lead to brain fog, irritability, behavioral and memory problems, and general lack of concentration in the person.
The warning Signs Your Dentist May Find
If your dentist sees any of these signs alongside snoring, then you need to be careful with your health as you might develop sleep apnea:
- Tongue scalloping
- Crooked teeth
- Cheek biting
- Teeth grinding
- Teeth sensitivity
- Dry mouth in the morning
If sleep apnea is suspected, your dentist is likely to refer you to a sleep specialist for a sleep test.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Treatment
CPAP machine is a machine which is helpful to Sleep Apnea patients. These machines help in delivering oxygen during sleep.
Mandibular advancement splint (MAS) is another method of treatment that helps in holding the upper and lower jaw so that it prevents the tongue from falling back into the airway while you are sleeping.
Tongue exercises can also help by supporting the airways at night. These exercises are known as myofunctional exercises which help in training the tongue to keep the airways open during sleep.