Nothing makes for a worse start to the day than an interrupted night of sleep and we are here to help ease your sleep woes and ensure you can enjoy restful nights, every night.
Sleep and dental health
Often, sleep issues are linked to stress and anxiety and these can take their toll on your dental health as well. Tooth grinding, also known as bruxism, is commonly associated with stress and many people find that they clench their teeth together in their sleep when they are under pressure at work, have an important meeting or interviews coming up or are facing stressful times in their relationships. Tooth grinding is a subconscious action and it occurs during the night when you sleep. The most common signs of tooth grinding include headaches and earaches, usually in the morning, jaw pain and stiffness and increased tension in and around the muscles in the jaw. There is also a danger of damage and wear to the teeth, which occurs as a result of the top and bottom rows of teeth clashing against each other.
Snoring
Snoring is another common cause of interrupted sleep and it can really take its toll if you find yourself lying awake and listening to the sound of somebody snoring every night. Snoring occurs when the soft tissue at the back of the mouth vibrates and is linked to being overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol and sleeping position. Many people also snore temporarily when they have a cough or cold and are feeling congested.
How we can help
If bruxism is identified as a possible cause of disturbed sleep, we can help by providing patients with a custom-made bite guard, which sits over the teeth and prevents contact between the upper and lower arches. We can also offer advice about dealing with stress and anxiety.
For snoring, we can provide an appliance that helps to hold the jaw in a forward position. This ensures that the airways remain open while you sleep. We can also offer advice about healthy lifestyle choices that may help to prevent snoring.
