Your Dental Health While You Sleep

Keep in mind that your dental health while you sleep does not end. As a matter of fact, many things happen to teeth even while you are sleeping and unaware. Bacteria is always a major concern and that is why it is a good idea to brush and floss right before you go to bed. Depending upon how well you brush and floss each night, the level of bacteria in your mouth can vary quite substantially. For example, going to bed without brushing your teeth will greatly increase the level of bacteria in your mouth. This means that while you sleep bacteria are hard at work at damaging teeth. 

Bad Breath in The Morning 

Another key consideration with regard to dental health while you sleep is that the mouth simply produces less saliva while you are sleeping. This is likely a natural response so that you are not swallowing while you are sleeping. The bad news, however, is that less saliva means that bacteria and germs have more room to run. This is perhaps why many people have bad breath in the morning. Again, brushing before you go to sleep at night is one of the best ways to reduce bacteria levels. Another major concern with regard to sleep and overall dental health is that of teeth grinding. 

Teeth Grinding 

Many studies have indicated that up to 10% of adults grind their teeth at night. This is a major concern because teeth grinding can cause tooth enamel to wear off and may also disfigure the shape of teeth. Grinding can damage soft tissue and increase tooth sensitivity. Never overlook the importance of correcting teeth grinding as it can cause sleep disruptions, headaches and even jaw, neck and face related pain. Maintaining a good dental care program at home and having regular routine dental visits is the best way to avoid oral care problems. Contact your Pinole dentists, Azadeh Hosseini, DDS and Ghazal Hosseini, DDS at Top Pinole Dental today to learn more. 

References:
[1] Enjoy Better Quality Sleep By Using Sleep Apnea Appliances
[2] Dr. Darvish Directed Sleep Apnea Course In Contra Costa Dental Society