Whether you are aware of it or not, grinding your teeth may be impacting you. You see, bruxism occurs often when a person is asleep, and it can be difficult to recognize there is a problem without suffering a number of side effects, first. Additionally, grinding can occur as a result of several factors, but some are much more concerning than others. Because of this, our team recommends seeking assistance sooner rather than later, and we are ready to help. In today’s blog, your Conroe, TX dentist explores the causes of obstructive sleep apnea, as well as how it impacts your oral and physical health.

More Than Restless Slumber

As we mentioned in our previous blog, teeth-grinding is a phenomenon that affects several people every year. It consists of a person tightly clenching his or her teeth together and moving the lower jaw from side to side, thus creating friction and stress between structures. Many times, a person is unaware there is an issue until they begin waking with a sore or tense jaw, and even still, significant time can pass before a person chooses to get it checked out.

While teeth grinding can result from heightened stress, it can also occur as a natural bodily response to a closed or blocked airway. In situations such as this, your chronic teeth-grinding may indicate you are being affected by sleep issues such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Indeed, OSA can affect anyone of any age and occurs when this occurs, your brain sends signals to attempt to correct the issue, thus teeth grinding may ensue. For more information about this process, give our team a call today.

Threats to Your Health

Though bruxism can be troubling in and of itself, it is important to rule out even greater concerns such as obstructive sleep apnea. During this phenomenon, the muscles in the throat become relaxed and obstruct air from passing through freely. One natural response to correcting the issue includes grinding your teeth, which helps stretch the throat muscles and opens the airway. Another natural response is for the brain to send signals to briefly rouse you from slumber, which results in restless sleep.

More importantly, OSA leads to many noticeable symptoms such as daytime fatigue, irritability, trouble focusing, hypersomnia, insomnia at night, and more.

Seek Treatment for Snoring

In addition to the immediate symptoms, a person with untreated OSA will develop full-body complications as well. For example, a consistent lack of appropriate levels of air can lead to hypertension, cardiovascular concerns, and difficulty with medications and surgeries. Fortunately, our team can help!

Schedule a Visit Today

To learn more about the impacts of OSA on your health, contact The Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX by calling 936-441-4600 and schedule your next visit with our team today.