The Link Between Sleep Apnea and Teeth Grinding

Do you wake up in the morning with tight jaw muscles or sensitive teeth? If yes, you might be grinding or clenching your teeth in your sleep. This is a condition called bruxism. If bruxism goes untreated, it can lead to headaches, tooth decay, and difficult sleeping. There are a number of other health conditions linked to bruxism, including stress and teeth misalignment. However, probably the biggest risk factor of bruxism is a serious condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs during the night when an individual’s throat muscles relax, which blocks the airway and causes interrupted breathing. One in four teeth grinders, as well as men in general, are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea. Learning techniques to manage sleep apnea can help eliminate nocturnal teeth grinding. Losing weight, giving up smoking, and treating nasal allergies can all be beneficial. Your doctor may suggest a dental guard, which will protect the teeth from further damage due to grinding. For those with moderate to more severe sleep apnea, the use of a CPAP device is a common treatment method. This device uses air pressure to help keep the airway passages open, which can prevent both sleep apnea and snoring. According to some studies, patients with bruxism and sleep apnea that use a CPAP machine often experience significant improvement in their breathing complications and teeth grinding.

Key Points:

  • 1Waking up with tired, tight jaw muscles or sensitive teeth could be a sign that you grind or clench your teeth during the night, a condition known as bruxism. If left untreated, bruxism can lead to tooth decay, headaches, and trouble sleeping.
  • 2A number of health issues are linked to the condition, such as stress and teeth misalignment, but one of the biggest risk factors is a serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea .
  • 3Luckily, managing sleep apnea may help nix nighttime teeth grinding. Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and quitting smoking, can help, as can treating nasal allergies. In addition, your doctor may recommend a dental guard or oral splint to prevent damage to the teeth caused by grinding and gnashing .


Studies have found that when patients with both bruxism and sleep apnea use a CPAP, their breathing complications greatly improve and the grinding stops completely.

Read the full article at: https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/the-link-between-sleep-apnea-and-teeth-grinding

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Written by HealthStatus
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

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