The Connection Between Sleep Apnoea and Oral Health: What Your Dentist Can Spot First

One way that you can speed up the process of securing a sleep apnoea diagnosis is to make sure you are visiting the dentist. During a routine checkup, the symptoms of sleep conditions will often be very obvious to your dentist, so this is often how individuals land on a diagnosis.

Here’s everything you need to know about sleep apnoea, and the signs that your dentist will be looking for during your checkup.

What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a condition that prevents you from breathing correctly while you are sleeping. This is often caused by the position of your jaw, which allows your tongue to fall to the back of your throat, making it difficult to breathe. Sleep apnoea often occurs alongside snoring.

This can lead to poor quality sleep that impacts your wider health. Those suffering from sleep apnoea are at higher risk of cardiovascular conditions. Poor sleep can also make you more accident prone during the day, which could mean you’re more likely to be in a car accident.

How can your dentist identify sleep apnoea?

Your dentist might be able to spot the signs of sleep apnoea during a routine checkup due to the impact on your oral health. These are some of the changes you might experience as a result of sleep apnoea.

Sleeping with your mouth open often leads to dry mouth, which can provide the ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive. This is often why those with sleep apnoea will also present with signs of gum disease, which can be surprising if you take good care of your teeth.

Sleep conditions like sleep apnoea are often seen alongside conditions such as bruxism. This is when you grind your teeth while you are sleeping, and it can damage the chewing surface of your teeth. Premature wearing of the chewing surface and chips or cracks can be a sign that you are grinding your teeth at night.

The shape of your mouth can also increase the likelihood that you suffer from sleep apnoea. If you have a high and narrow upper arch, this can increase the chances that you’ll suffer from this condition. Your dentist might notice other telltale signs, such as a scalloped tongue or enlarged tonsils.

How can your dentist help?

While your dentist won’t treat your sleep apnoea alone, they can play a role in diagnosis and treatment. First, they might refer you to your GP to request a sleep study. This will help to identify if sleep apnoea is the cause of your dental issues.

Next, they can create a custom mouth guard that you wear at night while you sleep. This will keep your mouth in a specific position while you sleep, and this can prevent your airway from being obstructed.

A custom mouth guard will also help to protect the chewing surface of your teeth if you are also grinding your teeth while you sleep. This will give you time to get to the root cause of the issue and find an effective treatment, without risking damaging your teeth in the meantime.

Worried you might be suffering from sleep apnoea? Book a routine checkup and let your dentist know about any other symptoms you might be experiencing.