If you are having trouble with your sleep, you may not even know the cause. But unconscious jaw movement can do major harm to your smile and your overall health. There are two main issues that occur with the head while sleeping. These are sleep apnea and bruxism.
The first refers to momentary pauses in breath overnight. Patients often are unaware that they even do this until their significant other informs them. Years of this interruption can mean a long span of poor rest, which can affect your blood pressure and lead to elevated risk of stroke and heart attack. Not to mention the poor quality of life that comes with lethargy and stress.
Bruxism is the term used to indicate the clenching and grinding of the teeth, and this can happen during the day or overnight. This is one of the most common unconscious moves, and the repeated motion can cause serious wear on our dental structures. Not only that, but we can even realign our smiles in an asymmetrical way. Today, your Rowlett, TX dentist speaks about how nightly-worn mouthguards provide a vital service in protecting our jaws from self-destruction! (more…)