21 Jun Sleep Apnea and Dental Problems: Can CPAP Cause Oral Health Issues?
Sleep apnea—a sleep disorder with interrupted normal breathing can not only result in life-threatening disorders but can also cause dental problems.
Interestingly, in the US, around 18 million adults and nearly 20% of children, who habitually snore, have sleep apnea.
And apart from leaving you with tiredness, sleep deprivation, mood swings, and fatigue, there are significant effects of sleep apnea on your oral health as well.
Unarguably, this is hard to digest. But if you frequently visit your dentist, you’ll know the truth behind this fact.
Well, if you are wondering “how can sleep apnea cause dental problems“, let me tell you that some of the common dental signs of sleep apnea are TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) and periodontitis.
They may seem irrelevant at first, but if you are a recurring snorer, these could be the signs that you need treatment.
Keep reading to discover more about sleep apnea and dental problems.
Can Sleep Apnea Cause Dental Problems?
Dental problems caused by sleep apnea is often a confusing subject. However, research shows there’s some ground to the idea of sleep apnea causing teeth problems.
Several examinations show jaw clenching, teeth grinding, redness in the throat, and enlarged tonsils are the signs that you might be dealing with sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea often doze off with their mouths open and wake up with a dry mouth and throat.
It’s no rocket science to recognize that it’s because of lack of saliva which offers a way to flush out all the germs.
So, lack of saliva means growing dental troubles like tooth decay, gum disease, and mouth ulcers.
3 Dental Signs of Sleep Apnea
There is a noticeable connection between sleep apnea and oral health.
And apart from leaving the snorer with tired mind and body, headache, and irritability, sleep apnea leaves you with degraded oral health.
The 3 common dental signs of sleep apnea include:
- Bruxism Or Jaw Clenching
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
- Mouth Breathing
Let’s discuss these dental signs of sleep apnea one by one in detail.
#1. Teeth Grinding/Bruxism
Bruxism which is also known as teeth grinding or jaw clenching is one of the first signs that you might be dealing with sleep apnea.
It is basically a condition in which a person’s jaw keeps moving continuously in sleep. Teeth grinding or bruxism not only affects your sleep but also makes you wake up tired with a painful neck and jaw.
Scientific Evidence:
Aim: The study examined the relationship between bruxism and sleep respiratory events in people with sleep apnea.
Method: The study recruited patients with sleep apnea along with healthy volunteers and collected data during overnight sleep tests in a quiet dark room. The researchers used standard polysomnography to collect the required data.
Result: Moreover, the study indicated that as compared to healthy volunteers, the frequency of sleep bruxism is more in those having sleep apnea.
The study further suggested that treatment of bruxism can improve Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
#2. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
If you have sleep apnea and experience pain in your jaw bone connecting the skull typically called the temporomandibular joint, it may be because of the stressed muscles due to snoring.
Sleep apnea repeatedly stops and starts breathing causing the airway to collapse.
As a result, the body reacts to it and automatically pushes forward the lower jaw in order to open the airway for better breathing.
This constant process throughout the night stresses the muscles and makes you wake up with a painful jaw.
Scientific Evidence:
Aim: To find out the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and temporomandibular disorder caused by TMJ.
Method: A hypothesis study of adults aged 18-44 years using OPPERA prospective cohort study (n=2,6o04) and OPPERA case-controlled study of TMD (n=1,716).
Result: Both the studies concluded that there was a significantly high association between OSA and TMD.
Moreover, the strength of the association was higher in older adults with co-morbidities and obesity.
#3. Mouth Breathing
People breathe from the nose and the very fact that snoring often causes people to breathe through their mouth. It may happen due to lack of oxygen due to blocked airway, or inappropriate neck posture.
Moreover, mouth breathing leads to dry mouth resulting in tooth decay and gum diseases.
Scientific Evidence:
Aim: The study aimed to identify the link between sleep apnea and periodontal disease in adults with different co-morbidities.
Method: Around 199 individuals which include 107 men and 92 men with a mean age of 49.9 years went through polysomnography.
Students used the chi-square test and ANOVA test to determine the differences between the groups with OSA, periodontal diseases, and co-morbidities.
Result: There was a prevalence of periodontal diseases with 62.3% and gingivitis with 34.1%.
The analysis further concluded that there was a significant relationship between periodontal diseases and OSA.
So, sleep apnea can cause dental problems according to the researchers.
There are innumerable side effects of sleep apnea and one of them is increasing dental problems. Interestingly, out of all the dental issues of sleep apnea, periodontal diseases are most common.
With that being said, let’s discuss this in detail.
Sleep Apnea and Periodontal Disease
Sleep apnea can increase the risk of oral health issues.
And gum disease is the most destructive oral health condition, when accompanied by sleep apnea, leading to dry mouth, intensifies the gum health issues.
There are a few factors that establish the link between sleep apnea and periodontal diseases.
- Sleep apnea results in the dry mouth because of mouth breathing which leads to dry throat and dry oral tissues. Dry gums increase the risk of inflammation, infection, and irritation.
- It’s a known fact that sleep apnea causes sleep deprivation. And lack of sleep weakens the immunity thus leading to a decline in the gum’s ability to fight diseases.
According to a study, there was a significant relationship between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and periodontal disease.
In a cross-sectional study done on 687 participants between 47-77 years, it was evident that 60% of people who got diagnosed with periodontitis had OSA.
It’s evident that sleep apnea can not only disturb your sleep and your sleeping partner but can also hugely hamper your oral health.
But on the contrary, can dental problems cause sleep apnea?
Well, it’s a question worth thinking about.
So, without any delay, let’s dig a little deeper and unearth the answers.
Can Dental Problems Cause Sleep Apnea?
Out of all what causes sleep apnea, have you ever thought that dental problems could also be one of them?
I am sure, not.
But here are some of the dental problems that cause sleep apnea.
#1. Missing Teeth
Really? Can missing teeth cause sleep apnea?
Missing teeth affect the tongues’ natural ability to rest perfectly in the mouth. This leads to snoring.
According to research, it was clear that there was a 2% increased risk of OSA for every additional tooth loss. Even minor level of tooth loss (5-8 tooth lost) is largely associated with a 25% greater risk of OSA.
#2. Wisdom Teeth
Can wisdom teeth cause sleep apnea?
Well, you must be thinking that your wisdom tooth is lucky. But apart from bringing luck, it also brings disturbed sleep.
So, if you haven’t yet removed your wisdom teeth and have to deal with chronic snoring and sleep apnea, it’s time you visit the dentist.
#3. Misaligned Jaw
A misaligned jaw or other oral issues related to it can cause sleep apnea.
The jaw misalignment can disrupt the airway and cause breathing problems making you wake up a few times during sleep. Disturbed or hampered breathing is one of the leading causes of sleep apnea.
#4. Crooked Teeth
Can you imagine that crooked teeth and a crowded smile can hamper your sleep?
The reason behind it is the narrow space.
To elaborate, crooked teeth leave the tongue with less space to relax. This as a result causes you to snore.
Adding to it, if that’s the case, can a crossbite cause sleep apnea?
The very fact that crossbite happens due to improper alignment of the upper jaw and palate makes it evident that crossbite can actually contribute to sleep apnea.
And if you’ve been wondering all this while that can a dentist diagnose sleep apnea?
Well, undoubtedly yes.
If you have oral health issues like crowded teeth, misaligned jaw, and missing teeth, a dentisi can help reduce the risk and can even help treat sleep apnea.
How to Prevent and Treat Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can have many harmful effects on your body. But the good news is you can prevent it and can also treat it.
Some of the ways to prevent sleep apnea are:
- Quit smoking and drinking
- Adopt sleep hygiene
- Improve posture
- Lose weight
- Maintain oral hygiene
If these lifestyle changes aren’t working, you can try some medical treatments.
Common sleep apnea treatments include:
- Snoring Pillow
- Nasal Strip
- Bilevel positive airway pressure machines (BPAP)
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
- Surgery
After nasal strips, CPAP is one of the most widely used methods to treat snoring.
And people who go through CPAP treatments often talk about peaceful uninterrupted sleep they had in years.
However, while CPAP machines work wonders when used as directed, using them may have some drawbacks.
Can CPAP Machine Cause Dental Problems?
CPAP treatment helps the wearer with a peaceful night with a continuous stream of sleep.
Although it is safe to use, if the CPAP mask doesn’t fit properly, it may have some serious side effects.
According to a questionnaire-based research on 744 participants aimed at estimating the prevalence of oral symptoms among CPAP users, it was concluded that around 40% of CPAP users have oral symptoms.
#1. Can CPAP Cause Gum Problems?
CPAP users are often recommended to get their teeth cleaned every 6 months, brush twice daily along flossing.
Dry mouth and poor oral hygiene can progress gum diseases.
Therefore CPAP patients are always encouraged to maintain oral hygiene at their best.
#2. Can CPAP Cause Tooth Decay?
Users of CPAP machines experience dry mouth. And the low PH level due to dry mouth can increase the degradation of tooth enamel and stimulate the tooth decay process.
Contact your dentist regarding how to solve dry mouth when using CPAP and prevent tooth decay.
#3. Can CPAP Cause Tooth Pain?
CPAP can cause a shift in teeth alignment and also bring some changes in biting patterns. Wearing a CPAP machine can impact routine activities like chewing, talking, and grinding and thus may lead to tooth pain.
It’s better to be cautious while using CPAP and focus on the right fit.
After this detailed analysis, it’s safe to say that not only can sleep apnea cause dental problems but dental problems can also cause sleep apnea.
With this, let’s conclude our blog with some of the oral hygiene tips to treat sleep apnea.
Final Thoughts
Sleep apnea is a common sleeping disorder and can affect your oral health. However, this is also a fact that if you maintain oral hygiene, you can prevent sleep apnea to a certain level.
Some of the common oral hygiene steps to take are:
- Brush twice daily and floss 2 times as well.
- Use the right toothbrush and tongue cleaners.
- Rinse with mouth wash.
- Visit the dentist for teeth cleaning in every 6 months.
- Avoid junk foods and sugary drinks as much as possible.
In case these primary steps aren’t working, go for other sleep apnea treatments including medical treatments to manage your symptoms.
Oral problems and sleep apnea are clearly related. And treating the former may help keep the latter at bay.
If you are a snorer with missing teeth or unresolved wisdom teeth, I hope this blog will be of some help.
In case you have more queries, drop them in the comment section below.
No Comments