Sleep Apnea and Gum Disease — How Are They Related?

Very often, discussions about the risks of untreated sleep apnea center around things like heart health and daily quality of life. Without question, those things are extremely important! But did you know that sleep apnea could also have a profound impact on your oral health? Yes, it may increase your risk of gum disease. Continue reading this blog post to learn about the connection between these conditions.

How Sleep Apnea May Lead to Gum Disease

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. When these disruptions occur, several changes may happen inside your mouth that increase your risk of developing gum disease:

• Interrupted sleep can weaken the immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off oral infections, including gum disease.
• Mouth breathing, which is common in people with sleep apnea, contributes to dryness and irritation of gum tissues. This dryness allows harmful bacteria to thrive, increasing the likelihood of gum inflammation and infection.
• Chronic inflammation caused by repeated oxygen deprivation is linked to increased risk of periodontal problems.

How Gum Disease May Worsen Sleep Apnea

The relationship between sleep apnea and gum disease is not one-sided. Gum disease can also contribute to the severity of sleep apnea symptoms! Chronic inflammation in the mouth contributes to your body’s overall burden of inflammation, which may negatively affect your breathing patterns.

Sleep Apnea Treatment and Oral Health

The good news is that timely sleep apnea treatment may prevent gum disease or help you manage it! When you improve the quality of your nightly rest, you are likely to experience some positive results:

• Improved airflow reduces mouth breathing and dryness, helping maintain a healthy oral environment.
• Restorative sleep supports a stronger immune system, allowing your body to fight oral infections more effectively.
• Sleep apnea treatment may decrease inflammation and lower your risk of gum disease.

There are a few possible ways to treat sleep apnea. While CPAP therapy is the most popular option, most patients find it to be inconvenient. A custom oral appliance from a dentist can promote proper breathing and has a higher compliance rate than CPAP.

Sleep apnea and gum disease have a surprisingly strong connection! If you are looking to improve your oral and overall health, improving the quality of your sleep could play a major role in helping you reach your goals.

Meet the Practice

Dr. Deborah Romack has decades of experience in addressing sleep apnea via oral appliance therapy. She and our team have already helped countless patients discover more restful nights and improved health. If you would like to learn about your treatment options, we would be pleased to speak with you. Contact Weatherford Dental Sleep Medicine at 817-594-3806.