Do you wake up in the morning with a sore mouth or a headache? Fatigue can cause headaches, but it won’t cause you sore teeth and jaws. The problem is most likely bruxism, or grinding your teeth. Other oral health issues such as TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems can also disrupt your sleep and your day as well. Many patients only grind their teeth at night and don’t realize that is what is causing their problems. Patients similarly don’t realize they have problems with TMJ or sleep apnea unless they visit a dentist. We have dental services that can help correct these problems, helping you to have a better night’s rest and a brighter day pain-free!

Want to Improve Your Sleep?

Many people have trouble sleeping, but they don’t know the cause of their problems. There is generally a cause for bad sleep or for waking up with symptoms such as a headache. A good night’s rest should leave you feeling rested and ready to take on a new day. If you feel sluggish or wake up often with teeth or face pain—especially a headache—there could be more going on during your sleep than you know.

Many people have sleep problems that they are unaware of because they happen in the night. Some people grind their teeth, which lead to worn-down teeth, broken teeth, headaches and more. We provide nighttime guards for patients who have problems with grinding, clenching and similar jaw problems. TMJ is another problem which means “temporomandibular joint” disorder. This is the joint that helps your jaws move on a hinge. Dysfunction of this joint can lead to chronic pain in patients. However, a dental device can stop that pain from happening. Bruxism and TMJ are not life-threatening sleep problems. However, sleep apnea is. Millions of people have sleep apnea problems that are contributing to their poor sleep, and many people aren’t diagnosed.

Sleep Apnea and Sleep Problems

Sleep apnea can be a serious condition where a person stops breathing during the night while they are sleeping. That is what the “apnea” means: breathing pauses during the night. These pauses in breathing can go on all night long and can cause a person to not be able to reach a deep enough level of sleep to get a good night’s rest. It also causes low blood oxygen levels that can hurt health in countless ways. Many people who snore at night have some level of sleep apnea, which is why they snore. Some people can snore so loud struggling for breath that it disrupts the sleep of their partners or children. Reported symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Loud or continuous snoring
• Countless pauses in breathing throughout the night, which can be short or long (such as a minute)
• Restless sleep and excessive daytime fatigue
• Struggling or gasping for air during the night
• Frequent bathroom visits during the night
• Daytime headaches that are worse in the morning
• Irritability, mood problems, depression and poor concentration

About 5-10% of people have some form of sleep apnea or similar sleeping problem. Many people do not have their sleep problems diagnosed. This can be very damaging to a person’s health. Those who have sleep problems are 6 times more likely to be involved in a serious car accident due to lack of sleep that leads to lack of concentration, slow reaction time and more.

Improve Your Sleep with Mouth Appliances

Studies show that a simple dental device can improve your sleep immensely, especially if you suffer from a sleep problem such as sleep apnea. There is even an American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine because sleep problems are so common in millions of Americans. Researchers have found that a person’s airways close off in certain ways while they are sleeping, which causes their breathing and sleep problems. Dental devices—such as the one we custom-make for you at Dr. Ania’s office—positions your mouth in a way that makes it so your airway can’t get cut off. These appliances are like mouth guards that athletes wear and can be similar to an orthodontic retainer.

These oral devices keep your jaws in a forward position during the night so your airway stays open. Because we custom-make these dental devices, they will be comfortable for you to wear. These mouth guards will become second nature for you over time. They also fit the shape of your teeth, which can maintain a straight position through the years much like a retainer. You get both a mouthguard for your sleep problems and a retainer for your teeth all in one device! Even after one night of wearing your dental device, you will see that you are more alert and awake during the day and you will feel much more rested. Over time, you will experience better health from better sleep.

Our Recommendations

Many people are not aware of the impact that poor sleep can have on their health. A lack of sleep significantly raises your health risk for chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart attack, depression, anxiety and more. Severe sleep apnea—where a person stops breathing for long periods of time—can even lead to death in some cases. Many people seek out large breathing machines, surgery and other forms of intervention. However, a less invasive way to remedy sleep problems is with a dental sleep apnea device. Instead of choosing expensive methods to improve your sleep, you can improve your sleep with simple dental services. It’s worth your time to try it out! Call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998 to learn more about how you can improve your sleep and wake up feeling rested!