Every once in a while, people may grind and clench their teeth. Doing this on an occasional basis is not a big deal. However, if you grind your teeth regularly, you can damage your teeth and develop serious health issues. Believe it or not, teeth grinding is sometimes paired with sleep apnea.
Individuals with sleep apnea stop their breathing during their sleep many times throughout the night. Just like teeth grinding, sleep apnea is not always apparent. According to research, grinding teeth at night may be a sign of sleep apnea. People are more likely to grind their teeth while they’re asleep if they are living with a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea.
Recently, studies have found that the airway instability during sleep from sleep apnea may cause nighttime teeth grinding. If you really think about it, this makes complete sense. As we fall asleep, there is a change in muscle tone regulation with the parts of the mouth that help with the breathing airway at night.
Although grinding teeth is not a life-threatening condition, sleep apnea may be, making it important to seek treatment if you have it. Here at Costa Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we have helped countless patients treat their sleep apnea through an oral appliance that can keep airways open while patient sleep. Our recommended throat exercises and lifestyle changes have helped them find relief as well.
Contact Costa Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
For more information about teeth grinding and sleep apnea or our sleep apnea treatment options, call our office today at (703) 722-8353.