Tired often? Mouth issues can be the reason
by Mirte Gratama | Guest Blogger blue®m | Apr 20, 2021
Last month we wrote this article. We asked you, how aware are of your sleeping rhythm? We often take sleeping for granted and this shouldn’t be the case. Sleep is still one of the main objects for scientists. Fatigue, bad focus, and also severe conditions like heart failures, diabetes, infections and mental health issues are consequences in time. Concerns, tensions, too much coffee and staring at a screen until late at night also aren’t doing any favors to your sleeping pattern. However, the true cause can be harder to find. A disrupted sleeping pattern can also relate to different problems in your mouth. In this article we are going to explain to you how you can tackle this problem.
Sleep Apnea
Heavily snoring, Apnea or shortness of breath? It can affect your sleep, even without you ever realizing it, and there are numerous reasons for this. Obvious reasons are an anomaly in your throat or nasal cavity, age or obesity. But did you know that the position of the jaw in most cases is the reason for this? Well, now you know! Approximately 20 percent of the snorers have a smaller lower jaw, it stands backward or will sink during sleep. The consequence is that the tongue and larynx are almost sagging against the pharynx. Aside from the fact that this causes vibrations and thus snoring, you also get a lot less oxygen intake. Whenever your brain feels this, your respiratory system will try to reopen by waking you so short you won’t even notice or remember. However, it does prevent you from reaching the deeper sleep stages that determine sleep quality.
In this interview you will read the experience of dentist Rick den Heijer who undertook a surgery to prevent Sleep Apnea. The lower jaw was placed forward so the airway became wider. The result? A better sleeping pattern, more energy, less shortness of breath and…. More quality of life!
Dry mouth
A different example of how oral health can affect your sleep is a dry mouth. A dry mouth can have many causes, for example: breathing through the mouth, use of medicine or diseases like diabetes. We wrote an article about this before. A dry mouth can be an unpleasant feeling and can also be the reason you can’t fall asleep. Sometimes a sip of water can reduce the feeling, but in severe cases this won’t do the trick. Aside from that, a dry mouth is also very bad for your oral health. In case of dehydration of the mouth, the acidity in the mouth increases which will create a perfect environment for tooth erosion and decay. It doesn’t only affect your sleeping pattern it also affects your oral health. Luckily for you, there are remedies to prevent a dry mouth.
Teeth grinding
It may look like an innocent habit, but truth to be told.. It isn’t. Teeth grinding can seriously affect your sleep (and that of others). It also affects the condition of your teeth, because the force you use with teeth grinding is hard enough to damage your teeth. You won’t even recall using such force, but it will also cause jaw pain and wear over time. The tension of the jaws spreads to other parts of the body such as the head and back, giving you continuous headaches and stiff shoulders without necessarily experiencing it consciously. Your body can’t relax as well and is less able to fall into a deep sleep. Did you know that teeth grinding can be a signal you might have magnesium deficiency?
Blue®m has developed a nutritional supplement with an extra high dose of magnesium. The teeth&bone formula is an extra support for a healthy and optimal oral care.
Do you feel tired often? Is your sleeping pattern disrupted and you can’t find the reason why? Check if one of the above-mentioned complaints can be the reason for interrupting your sleep. Most of the time your partner can say if you are a heavy snorer, or being restless in bed, or if you are teeth grinding. Your dentist can also see if you are a teeth grinder. At the state of your jaws and the condition of your teeth your dentist can see if you are indeed snoring or grinding your teeth. Luckily for us, there are many ways to solve these problems. A first step is to talk about it with your dentist or dental hygienist. They will provide you with advice and further steps if necessary. Please take your disrupted sleeping pattern seriously! A good night’s sleep is essential for your overall health!