How a Dentist Can Help You Sleep Better

A good night’s sleep is very important to your health. In fact, your body depends on proper amounts of rest each night. Unfortunately, far too many Americans fail to clock in quality sleep. Whether it is yourself or your bed partner, snoring, teeth grinding and sleep apnea episodes can be a major disruption to your body’s needed sleep. Believe it or not, these are nighttime habits that your dentist can easily treat!

Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is an oral habit that is often performed during nighttime sleep. Teeth grinding can keep your partner awake at night while also wreaking havoc on your oral health. In fact, bruxism is a leading cause of daytime tension headaches and other TMJ-related symptoms. The constant pressures on your teeth while you sleep can also wear down your enamel and make your teeth sore and sensitive. To prevent the sound and consequences of teeth grinding, a dentist can offer you a custom nightguard to wear while you snooze.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring and sleep apnea are two very common sleep habits that can often go hand in hand. Sleep apnea is a condition that involves frequent pauses in breathing throughout the night due to a collapse or narrowing of the airways. This can cause patients to wake up gasping for air several times throughout the night, and the deprivation of oxygen can lead to serious daytime symptoms ranging from fatigue and lack of concentration to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke!

While loud snoring is not always indicative of sleep apnea, it is a common warning sign. A trained dentist can fabricate a custom-fit mouthguard to keep your jaw and airway open while you sleep. This prevents loud snoring as well as dangerous sleep apnea episodes that can compromise your overall health. An FDA approved oral appliance is also ideal for sleep apnea sufferers who cannot tolerate a CPAP machine.

Call a Sleep Dentist in Acworth

What is keeping you from a good night’s sleep? If it is teeth grinding, snoring or sleep apnea, consider enlisting the help of your dentist. At Dental Care of Acworth, we proudly treat these sleep habits with high quality oral appliances that are custom-fit or your comfort.