Orthodontic Treatment Could Improve Your Sleep!
When most people hear the word braces, they picture kids and teens with mouths full of metal wanting to achieve a pretty smile. But braces aren’t just for beautiful smiles. There are other benefits to having straight teeth and aligned jaws, including the ability to sleep better. Poor oral health can lead to poor sleep, and sleep is one thing we can’t do without and stay healthy.
What Are Some Oral Health Issues That Can Cause Poor Sleep?
Sleep issues associated with oral health problems include:
Mouth breathing — Breathing through your mouth instead of your nose causes a number of issues. Mouth breathing can lead to a higher risk of cavities, inflamed gums, and chronic bad breath. It can also affect your sleep because you might not get enough oxygen during the night. Misaligned jaws or teeth that are positioned such that they make it hard for the mouth to close can be a contributing factor to mouth breathing.
Overbites, underbites, and crossbites — These conditions can affect your self-confidence and smile, but they can also cause snoring, difficulty breathing, and sleep apnea.
Airway blockage — When your jaw is misaligned, it can cause the tissues of the upper or lower mouth to cause an obstruction in your airway. This can lead to a decrease in the level of oxygen in your blood and cause you to sleep fitfully.
Bruxism — The pressure and stress placed on teeth and jaws due to teeth grinding can cause pain, discomfort, soreness, and headaches — all of which can affect your sleep. Teeth grinding is also linked to sleep apnea.
Straight Teeth Help You Sleep
Orthodontics, such as braces, can treat the oral issues that affect how well you sleep. Getting the jaws aligned and in the correct position can relieve the stress on the jaw. Fixing bite issues and crooked teeth can help keep your airway clear and allow you to breathe through your nose. Aligners and similar mouth trays can distribute the pressure of grinding teeth to alleviate the symptoms that disturb sleep.
Don’t Go Without Sleep Any Longer
We can work together to determine whether you would benefit from orthodontics as a sleep aid and decide which types of braces or aligners would work best for you, if so! If you frequently sleep fewer than six hours per night, contact us here at The Best Braces to set up an appointment today. We serve the Metro Detroit area and would love to help you find out more about how orthodontics can help you get the good night’s sleep you require to stay healthy.
