How well do you sleep on any given night? If you’re like roughly 25% of the U.S. population, you don’t get sufficient sleep. Poor sleep can be a factor of time, quality, or both. Would it surprise you to learn that your teeth could be behind some of your restless nights? As it turns out, straightening your teeth could be the answer you’ve been looking for.
Bruxism
Bruxism, more commonly known as tooth grinding, can have multiple causes. Stress is one common culprit. Did you know that the alignment of your teeth and jaw can be a cause as well? If you’re experiencing bruxism caused by an abnormal bite or crooked teeth, straightening your teeth could alleviate your bruxism. That can mean good things for your sleep. Bruxism can cause soreness, headaches, pain, and discomfort, all of which can negatively impact your sleep.
Airway Issues
Breathing is a necessary function, but some people may struggle with breathing at night. One of the more common conditions related to this is sleep apnea. When someone has sleep apnea, they stop breathing while they are sleeping for a short amount of time. That leads to a decrease in your blood’s oxygen levels, which can decrease the quality of your sleep, among other things. A poorly aligned jaw can potentially be the cause, as a misaligned jaw can cause other mouth tissues to create an airway blockage. Orthodontic treatments can help the jaw become properly aligned, thereby alleviating airway issues that could be harming your sleep.
Mouth Breathing
You might think that breathing through your mouth at night isn’t that big of a deal, but it can actually lead to poor sleep. Aside from increasing the risk of cavities and bad breath, mouth breathing while you sleep can actually cause you to not get enough oxygen at night. If you’re mouth breathing at night because your jaw or teeth are aligned in a way that makes it difficult to close your mouth when you sleep, straightening them with orthodontic help could make it easier to get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep has a crucial role to play in both your physical and mental help. That can be a problem if the sleep you get just isn’t good enough or if you aren’t able to sleep for long enough. While it isn’t always the case, sometimes the alignment of your teeth and jaw are the root of the problem. If you’re having trouble sleeping, talk to Dr. Carver and Dr. Tori to see if straightening your teeth could be the solution you need.
Is the alignment of your teeth causing airway problems? Learn more about Stellar Orthodontics airway orthodontics treatments here.