It’s no secret that a night spent tossing and turning makes you feel less than your usual bright, chipper self the next day. Add a few more nights like this, and your face may be puffy, your eyes may have more bags than you’ve seen in your last few years’ worth of travels, and your ability to do complex thinking? Next to non-existent.
But what you might not realize is that ongoing poor sleep habits, from snoring to teeth grinding, can seriously derail your oral health, too. Here, we’ll examine what happens when you don’t have quality slumber consistently, and how it plays a role in your overall dental health.
Dry Mouth Is More Than Annoying
When you wake up in the middle of the night with dry mouth, it’s a warning sign that your body isn’t producing enough saliva. This lack of oral fluids might mean you didn’t drink enough water that day, or it could be a sign of a more serious health condition.
Whatever’s causing your dry mouth, or xerostomia, to be specific, needs to be addressed. Without sufficient saliva, the acids in your mouth don’t get neutralized, so they sit on your teeth long-term and erode the enamel. Over time, this causes sensitivity in the teeth and gums, tooth decay, bad breath, and, eventually, leads to infection.
And the solution to your midnight dry mouth could be making the problem worse. If you’re drinking anything other than plain water, the particles in the liquid stay in your mouth all night, turning into bacteria that thrive and become tartar and plaque buildup. While you’re working through the cause of your xerostomia issue, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and keep the saliva glands running smoothly, and avoid sugary, carbonated, or acidic drinks, especially during the night hours.
Those Aching Morning Teeth Are Trying to Talk To You
Do you wake up in the morning feeling like your teeth have been working overtime all night? If so, they probably have.
Achy morning teeth aren’t “normal,” and shouldn’t be ignored. As this article by JS Dental Lab explains, they’re a good sign that your teeth are trying to tell you that, instead of resting, your jaw muscles are clenching and grinding.
This condition, called sleep bruxism, can go unnoticed for years if it’s mild and occasional. But, left untreated, teeth grinding wears away the enamel, leading to tooth decay and gum disease. Ongoing clenching overworks the jaw muscles and those connected to them, so you may start to notice other signs, such as neck pain, morning headaches, and sensitivity in the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) when you open and close your mouth.
If you think you have bruxism, it’s crucial to figure out what’s causing your grinding. Bruxism is a secondary diagnosis, meaning it happens because of another condition. Stress, genetics, overstimulation, and certain medications are common causes of teeth grinding. While you work on solving the underlying condition, use a night guard to prevent further damage to your oral health.
Sleep Apnea and Mouth Breathing
Has your partner been nudging you more at night to get you to quit snoring? Are you more of a mouth breather than a nose inhaler? More than just irritating to those around you, these two factors could indicate there’s a problem that needs to be taken care of.
Constant snoring is connected with sleep apnea, a health condition in which the airways are blocked during sleep. “Blocked airways” is never a good thing. In this case, mild sleep apnea causes you to sleep with your mouth open to try to get more air into the lungs. This natural movement dries out the oral tissues, increasing bacteria and leading to an increased likelihood of tooth decay and infection.
Disrupted breathing could be the reason you aren’t resting well. Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing, called apneas, that reduce the oxygen in your body. Your brain goes on alert, waking you up, at least partially, to catch your breath. Dentists often are the diagnosers of sleep apnea, seeing the symptoms in the mouth, like a red, irritated throat, worn-down teeth, and more cavities.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. Talk to your healthcare provider if you show symptoms of OSA as soon as possible. Not only is it better for your oral and overall health, but your partner will appreciate the treatment and reduced snoring!
Conclusion
Your sleep habits matter, especially if you want to keep your smile healthy. Look for tips to get better rest, such as sticking to a regular bedtime and wakeup schedule and reducing your caffeine and sugar intake, and get professional assistance if you have regular dry mouth, think you’re grinding your teeth, or show symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea.