Link between Teeth Grinding and Sleep Apnea

While sleeping you hear someone tooth on tooth sound or someone tells you you do that. This is referred to as teeth grinding which people usually do in their sleep. Is there any link between teeth grinding and sleep apnea. Raed the given topic to understand the problem in a better manner.

Waking up in the morning with sensitive teeth or tired jaw muscle then it is possible that you are grinding your teeth in your sleep. The person who is asleep and grinding their teeth will not even know until someone tells them. However, teeth grinding possibly be some type of serious health problem which can also affect the person sleeping next to you.

Often linked with stress, there is a new reason which tells that the problem occurs because of breathing problems. A condition linked with this problem is UARS (upper airway resistance syndrome) or sleep apnea which are linked with a lack of oxygen when you are sleeping.

Sleep and Re-energize

• If you imagine someone grinding or clenching the teeth, it means they won’t be getting peaceful sleep and rest. Many research has been done on sleep factors on health. The most important one is that good sleep improves the functioning of the brain. When you are not getting proper sleep then it can increase the risk of degenerative diseases like dementia.
• When we sleep, the system body rest which is used for daily functioning. Only the breathing part is controlled by consciousness. Getting the right amount of oxygen is essential and disruption, when you are sleeping, is a major concern.

In case you are facing the issue of teeth grinding then you should seek help from the dentist as they let you know what needs to be done.

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)

• This is one of the breathing issues in which increased difficulty to breathing affects sleep. It occurs as daytime tiredness. This condition occurs when the upper airway gets narrow which means breathing by opening the mouth as small as a straw.
• Although sleep apnea is slightly major then this But UARS is not identifiable easily.

Night Grinding and UARS

• Studies show that women of the age of 20 to 70 suffer from not getting peaceful sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea hallmark is snoring and UARS hallmark is night grinding.
• Many people in their sleep snore which happens because of the airways. Upper airways relax when we sleep. In this, the tongue rests back into the throat which can block the airway.

Signs of Night Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

If you are facing given symptoms then it is possible that you are facing teeth grinding issue:

• Chipped or broken teeth
• Migraines
• Tooth sensitivity
• Jaw pain or temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ)
• Toothache
• Stressful job or family life
• Headaches

Even if you can breathe properly but teeth grinding will damage the jaw and teeth.

Consulting the doctor