Quality sleep is vital for your overall health as it provides the body the needed break to self-repair. When hit by concerns like sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend appliances. While the main goal of oral sleep appliances Marion is to improve sleep quality, they offer notable dental benefits. This further improves your overall health since dental concerns can increase the risks of conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are already high when sleep quality is impacted. Among the top oral sleep appliances benefits that improve dental health include:
Improve dental alignment
Dental misalignment could be the main cause of sleep apnea. If the temporomandibular joint is misaligned, it affects the tongue position, which blocks the airway and results in snoring or sleep apnea. Oral sleep appliances targeting the misalignment causing sleep difficulties can treat such TMJ disorders. They help straighten and improve arches and teeth development, helping you realize healthier alignment. The corrected alignment opens the airway and improves your dental functionality, and in time, you may no longer have to put the appliances on as you sleep.
Manage TMJ Disorders
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are characterized by abnormal jaw joints and surrounding muscles’ movements. The movements can result in unpleasant symptoms, including chewing difficulties, locking and clicking of the jaw joint, muscle spasms, headaches, and mouth, jaw, ear, and face pain that can become chronic.
Oral sleep appliances rest the jaw comfortably and move the tongue forward to facilitate better breathing. Besides improved breathing, positioning and staying in place relieve the strain from the jaw. The relief means you won’t wake up with the pain and other common TMJ disorders symptoms, a dental and overall health benefit beyond dealing with sleep problems.
Cushion against bruxism impacts
It is typical for most people struggling with sleep disorders to have bruxism. This is the involuntary clenching or grinding of teeth, mainly in your sleep. Sleep appliances act much like mouth guards, cushioning your teeth and jaw from the excessive pressure that could lead to accelerated wear. Bruxism can even result in TMJ, emphasizing proper care, which oral sleep appliances help achieve.
Better oral hygiene
Sleep apnea and other difficulties are often comorbid with bruxism. If left unmanaged, the involuntary grinding/clenching gradually wears your teeth, leads to cracks and chips, and affects the jaw. The impact results in tooth pain and sensitivity, making it harder to bite, chew, smile, and maintain practical oral hygiene. Dental hygiene is the cornerstone of oral health. It is the most straightforward way that helps you avoid many dental problems.
When you effectively brush and floss, you leave little room for plaque buildup. It gets better with routine professional cleaning, ensuring you eliminate plaque even in those hard-to-reach areas. When dealing with pain and sensitivity, your hygiene quests take a blow, not to mention that you won’t look forward to the dental appointment as much considering what awaits. Sleep appliances help minimize such concerns since you cushion against the damage.
Oral sleep appliances continue to win favor among many due to their discreetness and convenience. Besides improving your sleep quality, the appliances can help improve your dental health, a bonus worth considering. Contact Cottage Grove Dental Care today for more on sleep appliances.