Does sleep apnea affect oral health?

Sleep apnea often causes sufferers to sleep with their mouth open, which can cause dry mouth. This can lead to increased plaque, more cavities and tooth decay, gum disease, and mouth sores caused by infections.

Does sleep apnea cause other health problems?

Having OSA increases your risk of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. OSA might also increase your risk of recurrent heart attack, stroke and irregular heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation.

What are oral side effects of sleep apnea?

There are several intraoral signs and symptoms associated with OSA that can be detected by dental professionals during routine clinical encounters (Intraoral signs include redness of the soft palate and uvula area, narrow palate, enlarged tongue and torus mandibularis [>2 cm on both sides of lower mandible] and ...

Can oral health affect sleep?

Overnight, oral health complications may have a direct effect on how well you sleep . Issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, and oral infections can cause discomfort, making it difficult to fall asleep or leading to constant awakenings. Sleep apnea, a severe sleep disorder, shows a strong link to oral health.

Who is most affected by sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects millions of U.S. adults. It's found more often in men, older adults, people with higher weight, and people with certain chronic conditions . Common symptoms include snoring, frequent waking during the night, and daytime sleepiness.

Can sleep apnea cause brain damage?

Beyond memory problems, sleep apnea can also cause physical, measurable brain damage by starving your brain of oxygen . A recent study published in Sleep Journal found significant reductions in gray matter in certain areas of the brains of sleep apnea patients.

What is the root cause of sleep apnea?

Anything that could narrow your airway such as obesity, large tonsils, or changes in your hormone levels can increase your risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea happens when your brain does not send the signals needed to breathe.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea teeth?

Some symptoms of sleep apnea are specific to dental problems. Dental symptoms to look out for in both adults and children include: clenching and grinding teeth during sleep, sometimes loud enough to wake you or your partner up . tightness and pain in jaw joints .

Can sleep apnea cause gum disease?

August 2, 2022. Every night, millions of people miss out on countless hours of sleep because of sleep apnea—but the problems don't stop there! If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause many other different problems, many of which you wouldn't expect including gum disease!

Can a dentist tell if you have sleep apnea?

In the case of sleep apnea, the oral cavity plays a big part, which is where a dentist can be quite helpful. Dentists can check for sleep apnea symptoms in patients during a check-up visit . Some individuals are completely unaware of their sleep apnea, which is why having a dentist check the oral cavity can be helpful.

Does a CPAP machine affect your teeth?

The lack of saliva caused by CPAP machines can lead to an increase in oral bacteria, causing tooth decay .

Many individuals are unaware that oral health can affect other systemic conditions, such as sleep apnea (2024)

Sleep Apnea and Airway Dentistry

Airway dentistry is an emerging branch of dentistry that focuses on a patient's oral structure and how it affects breathing. Airway dentists search for signs of sleep-disordered breathing by searching for any abnormal oral development, such as tongue position, tooth wear, and extra tissues in the back of the throat. This form of dentistry can help diagnose and treat patients with upper airway resistance syndrome and various types of sleep apnea, especially obstructive sleep apnea.

Both upper airway resistance syndrome and obtrusive sleep apnea involve the relaxation of the throat's soft tissue. This reduces the size of the airway, resulting in disturbed sleep and daytime impairment. Though airway obstruction symptoms depend on its exact cause, typical signs involve agitation, confusion, cyanosis (bluish-colored skin), difficulty breathing, gasping for air, panic, high-pitched breathing noises, and unconsciousness. Most sleep-disordered breathing is caused by resistance in the airway.

“Most sleep-disordered breathing is caused by resistance in the airway.”

Understanding Sleep Apnea

There are several kinds of sleep apnea, but obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. In this condition, something blocks (or obstructs) part or all of the patient's upper airway while they sleep. This forces the diaphragm and chest muscles to overcompensate to pull air into the lungs. As a result, the patient's breathing may become very shallow or even briefly stop altogether. When the patient eventually begins to breathe again, they may experience a loud gasp, snort, or body jerk.

Since this condition is only observable to an outsider, many patients may mistakenly believe that they are only suffering from poor sleep. However, sleep apnea symptoms often take a toll on the mouth and jaw, making it possible for total health dentists to recognize the condition. Common signs of sleep apnea include worn tooth surfaces, receding gums, increased cavities, a small jaw, scalloped edges on the tongue, or redness in the throat. Dentists may recommend patients with these telltale signs to partake in a sleep study, as only medical doctors can make an official sleep apnea diagnosis.

“…symptoms of sleep apnea often take a toll on the mouth and jaw, making it possible for total health dentists to recognize the condition.”

Treating Sleep Apnea

There are several treatment options available for sleep apnea, including oral appliances. To use oral appliances, patients must first have impressions taken of their teeth and return for a fitting at a later appointment. Depending on their situation, some patients may need to undergo another sleep test while wearing the device to ensure that it is in working order. Since these devices do not require any electricity, they are relatively unobtrusive and travel-friendly. However, they may require further office visits for any necessary adjustments.

Patients who require more advanced treatment may want to consider continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machines or surgery. As these treatments are more involved, they may require a referral to a sleep specialist. No matter how serious the case, Olga Kandov, DMD - Brite Smiles can help patients determine the right treatment for them.

“There are several treatment options available for sleep apnea, including oral appliances.”

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: How a Complete Health Dentist Treats Sleep Apnea in Doylestown, PA

Sleep Apnea and Systemic Health

Sleep apnea is one of the most well-known and most common sleep disorders affecting Americans today. Though its exact cause is still unknown, some experts argue that it should be classified as a systemic disease. This is due primarily to the undeniable presence of intense local and systemic inflammation and the various phenomena associated with the disorder (including modifications in the autonomic nervous system).

Furthermore, it is possible that obstructive sleep apnea may increase the risk of developing some features of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea are already at an increased risk for vascular events, which have the highest morbidity and mortality rates of all associated complications. As such, it is safe to say that sleep apnea is often more serious than it first seems.

“…it is safe to say that sleep apnea is often more serious than it first seems.”

Questions Answered on This Page

Q. What is sleep apnea?

Q. What are the signs of sleep apnea?

Q. How can I treat sleep apnea?

Ideal Candidates for Airway Dentistry

Virtually anybody can benefit from airway dentistry. If left untreated, airway-involved sleep disorders can have disastrous effects on a person's oral health, feelings of restfulness, and overall well-being. An airway dentist can help look for signs of such disorders and, in mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea, help treat them with recommendations for lifestyle changes, oral devices, and referrals to specialists when necessary.

Sleep apnea can affect patients of any age, including children. Furthermore, of all pediatric physicians, dentists are most likely to identify the abnormal tonsil growth that often causes obstructive sleep apnea. Accordingly, regular dental checkups can help catch and treat children's sleep apnea before it has the chance to become problematic. As obstructive sleep apnea often comes with significant developmental concerns, early detection is critical.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How common is sleep apnea?

A. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, sleep apnea affects over 20 million Americans. They also approximate that as much as 80% of moderate to severe cases of obtrusive sleep apnea are undiagnosed.

Q. Can sleep apnea be cured?

A. Unfortunately, as of yet, there is no known cure for sleep apnea. However, Olga Kandov, DMD - Brite Smiles can help you minimize and manage its symptoms so that you can live a more comfortable life.

Q. Is snoring always a sign of sleep apnea?

A. No. Snoring is very common and can occur in anyone. However, if your snoring is severe enough to wake you from your sleep, it may be a sign of sleep apnea. Snoring associated with sleep apnea is generally louder, deeper, and more consistent than "normal" snoring. Those with sleep apnea may also experience choking, gasps, or pauses in between snores.

Q. Are there any risk factors associated with sleep apnea?

A. Approximately half of those affected by sleep apnea are overweight. Sleep apnea is more common in men than in women and in older persons than in younger persons. However, children with enlarged tonsils are also at risk.

Q. Is sleep apnea hereditary?

A. At least one study has found that snoring runs in families. Though snoring is not a cause of sleep apnea, it is one of its key symptoms. Additionally, individuals may inherit narrow airways or be genetically predisposed to have excess tissues in the airway. As such, there is a hereditary component to sleep apnea.

Quality Dental Services Can Transform Your Smile

By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with treatment options.

Many individuals are unaware that oral health can affect other systemic conditions, such as sleep apnea (1)

Let Us Help – Click for Directions to Olga Kandov, DMD – Brite Smiles

Scan here to view this page, How a Complete Health Dentist Treats Sleep Apnea, on mobile

Dental Terminology

Central Sleep Apnea: Central sleep apnea is a breathing disorder the occurs when the breath starts and stops frequently while sleeping due to improper signals from the brain to the muscles that control breathing.
Continuous Positive Air Pressure: Continuous Positive Air Pressure is a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The patient wears a mask hooked up to a machine that uses mild air pressure to keep the patient’s airways open while they sleep.
Functional Dentistry: Functional dentistry involves a strong focus on identifying the root cause of oral health issues and not just treating the symptoms.
Mandibular Advancement Device: A mandibular advancement device is a mouth guard like device that is the most commonly used device for treating sleep apnea. They open the airway by temporarily moving the jaw and tongue forward.
Mixed Sleep Apnea: Mixed Sleep Apnea is a breathing disorder that is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which the individual has difficulty breathing during sleep and experiences a variety of symptoms due to it, including loud snoring.
Orthognathic Surgery: Orthognathic surgery is also known as corrective jaw surgery that can help to correct any issues with the jaw including conditions such as sleep apnea and TMJ.
Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea is a common condition in which the patient intermittently stops breathing in their sleep.
Sleep Apnea Dentist: A sleep dentist specializes in the treatment of sleep apnea. Sleep dentistry is the area of dentistry that focuses on treating sleep apnea, snoring and disordered breathing.
Tongue Retaining Device: A tongue retaining device works to keep the airway open by holding the tongue in place.

Call Us Today

For many patients, airway dentistry is just what they need to put their sleep apnea issues to rest. We at Olga Kandov, DMD - Brite Smiles may be able to help. Call us today at 215-330-5212 to schedule an appointment or to learn more about our services.

Helpful Related Links

American Dental Association (ADA). Glossary of Dental Clinical Terms. 2024

About our business and website security

Olga Kandov, DMD – Brite Smiles was established in 2018.
We accept the following payment methods: American Express, Cash, Check, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa
We serve patients from the following counties: Bucks County
We serve patients from the following cities: Doylestown, New Britain, Plumsteadville, Jamison, Dublin, New Hope, Buckingham, and Chalfont
National Provider Identifier Database (1821248873). View NPI Registry Information
Healthgrades. View Background Information and Reviews
Norton Safe Web. View Details
Trend Micro Site Safety Center. View Details

Scan here to open directions to Olga Kandov, DMD - Brite Smiles on mobile

QR code for How a Complete Health Dentist Treats Sleep Apnea

Doylestown, PAHealthy Start DentistDo I Have Sleep Apnea