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Did you know that poor sleep can have a massive impact on your mood, performance, overall health, and quality of life? If you lack sleep because of mouth breathing or teeth grinding, be glad to know that an orthodontist in 33026 can help you improve the quality of your sleep. 

Effects of Poor Sleep

Children who don’t get enough sleep tend to perform poorly at school. In an attempt to diagnose this behavioral problem, many of them get misdiagnosed with ADHD, autism, or learning difficulty.  

Additionally, research shows that a lack of sleep can cause chronic health issues including cancer, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes. 

Sleep Problems and How Orthodontic Treatments Fix Them

Mouth Breathing

Besides reducing your risk of gum disease, saliva also prevents cavity formation by washing away food particles and acids that attach to your tooth enamel. Since mouth breathing exposes your teeth to air rather than saliva while you sleep, bacteria isn’t being washed from your mouth.  

This will ultimately increase your likelihood of developing oral health problems including cavities, chronic bad breath, and red, swollen gums. Additionally, mouth breathing causes you to wake regularly because it reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to your lungs at night. 

If you breathe through your mouth all night because of the position of your jaw or your protruding teeth, your orthodontist can use braces to fix your problem. 

Teething Grinding

Also known as bruxism, nocturnal teeth grinding refers to the involuntary clenching or grinding of teeth in your sleep. This common sleep disorder is usually caused by sleep apnea, stress, fatigue, snoring, smoking, alcohol, and caffeine. If left untreated, this can cause headaches, earaches, jaw pain, and damage to your teeth.  

To help you avoid the perils of teeth grinding, your orthodontist can provide you with a customized mouth guard or retainer at night. These devices can protect your teeth from excessive wear and tear due to bruxism.

Looking for an Orthodontist in 33026?

At Village Square Dental, we don’t want you to hide your smile. If you need orthodontic treatment, schedule an appointment with us today.