Are you someone who has difficulty getting enough sleep? Is your partner snoring too loud that it causes a lot of sleepless nights? Believe it or not, your oral health can be one of the reasons behind it. Sleep is a vital aspect of our lives that directly impacts our physical and mental well-being, and surprisingly, one solution to improve sleep quality lies in orthodontics.
This article will delve deeper into how orthodontics and sleep are related and how orthodontics can improve your rest.
Understanding Sleep Disorders
It’s very common for people to have sleep disorders, which can significantly impact their quality of life. These conditions can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue, lack of focus, and potential health issues. In most cases, people usually perceive sleep disorder as just a side-effect of stress and psychological trauma, but in reality, it can also be an effect of oral issues.
Let’s take toothache as an example. The pain of toothache from oral diseases such as tooth decay is unbearable and can cause sleepless nights full of crying and exhaustion. This is just one common and practical example, but dental problems can cause sleep disorders in many ways. Let’s dive in and see it from a deeper perspective.
The Connection between Orthodontics and Sleep
Several studies prove that sleep and dental health are connected. But to give you a clearer picture, let’s explore it deeper.
Jaw Alignment
Misaligned jaws can cause a lot of problems in terms of breathing. If you have a misaligned jaw, the position of your tongue might be changed and can block the airway, causing sleep apnea and breathing disorders. Orthodontic treatment can help you align your jaw and fix the breathing problem due to your tongue position.
Breathing
A properly aligned jaw and open airway are essential for unobstructed breathing during sleep. Malocclusion, a problem where teeth and jaws are misaligned, can cause breathing obstruction that can affect the quality of your sleep. This can result in sleep apnea, where breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night.
How Orthodontic Treatment Can Improve Sleep?
As mentioned above, alignment of the jaw and teeth can improve your breathing and sleep at night. Other than practical problems such as toothache causing insomnia, problems such as sleep apnea and breathing disorders can occur due to bad positioning of your tongue, jaws, and teeth. These problems can easily be solved by consulting an orthodontist. Here are some ways orthodontics can help improve the quality of your sleep.
Jaw Alignment Correction
Since our jaw greatly affects our breathing problems, it is essential to consider a jaw alignment correction to improve the quality of your breathing during your sleep. These may include bracing or surgically aligning your jaw to eliminate breathing obstruction during sleep. You can consult an orthodontist to plan out the best treatment to fix the misalignment of your jaw.
Airway Expansion
Your orthodontist can supply a device to help expand your airway during sleeping hours that can help you breathe normally during the night. This is particularly helpful for people diagnosed with sleep apnea and snoring. Note that you should also consider having opinions from a sleep doctor to get accurate results and treatment.
If you’re facing sleep disturbances and believe they might be linked to dental or jaw structure issues, considering a consultation with an expert is vital. Kumra Orthodontics, your trusted orthodontist in Capitol Hill, is proficient in diagnosing and offering specialized treatments that not only enhance your smile but can also significantly improve your nightly rest. Embracing orthodontic care might just be your pathway to sleep-filled nights and energetic days.
Lifestyle Changes for Better Sleep Quality
Aside from going to different doctors, you can make lifestyle changes for better sleep quality. These changes might seem big, but with consistency, they can give you a long-term solution to your sleeping problem.
Starting a Healthy Diet
Sleep apnea and breathing obstruction are usually associated with your weight. Trying to lessen your weight can give your body more space to breathe properly. In addition, eating right can also give you better sleep.
Drinking Milk
One glass of warm milk before sleeping can help your muscles relax. Plus, milk is high in calcium, giving you the best set of bones and teeth.
Sleep Hygiene Practices
Sleeping on a consistent schedule and creating a great environment to sleep can improve your sleep quality. Ensure that your room is dark and you follow a normal sleep schedule to avoid sleep disruption.
Conclusion
Sleep and dental health are connected in some ways, especially if your sleep problem mainly occurs because of your breathing. By addressing dental irregularities and jaw alignment issues, orthodontic treatment can help individuals achieve better breathing and more restful sleep. Consider talking to an experienced orthodontist to help diagnose if your sleeping problem is mainly caused by jaw and teeth misalignment. Remember, a good night sleep can contribute a lot to your overall health.
