How a Pediatric Dentist Can Surprisingly Ease Your Child’s Sleep Apnea
Many parents tuck their children at night and bid them sweet dreams, but even your little ones are not exempted from the nightmares sleep apnea brings. It describes a sleeping disorder that interrupts normal breathing during sleep, and while it seems cute to hear your kid snoring, it can impact multiple aspects of their health.
One of the surprising ways sleep apnea can wreak havoc in your child’s life is its uncanny tendency to compromise their oral health. Dental health complications may not be given a second thought when thinking about sleep apnea, but the link between the two is bigger than meets the eye.
With that in mind, the guide below should give a rundown on sleep apnea in children from a pediatric dental perspective.
What Do Your Child’s Teeth Have Anything To Do With Sleep Apnea?
Sleep and your teeth may seem like opposite ends of the spectrum, but both have a significant impact on each other. For one, achieving a continuous, good night’s sleep can do wonders in mitigating bad breath, mouth ulcers, and the possibility of developing periodontal disease.
Likewise, there are also dental issues that can aggravate sleep apnea, such as TMJ, bruxism, and the bad habit of breathing through the mouth. Some of the oral symptoms that manifest when your child is suffering from sleep apnea include the following:
- Clenching or teeth grinding;
- Tightness or painful jaw points;
- Sore spots along the inside of the cheeks;
- Dull headaches surrounding the temples;
Other Issues Like Abnormal Oral Tissues
Another way oral health can worsen sleep apnea is when your child has a frenum, which refers to abnormal oral tissues that can impair the function of their lips and tongue. The tongue plays a pivotal role in regulating the breathing, but the condition can compromise the proper positioning of the tongue.
This can severely affect the upper jaw development in children, which will have an adverse impact on your child’s breathing.
How Can A Pediatric Dentist Help Treat Sleep Apnea?
Seeing the link between sleep apnea and your oral health, pediatric dentists can suggest different orthodontic treatments that can improve your child’s misalignments. They can also address issues that aggravate sleep apnea, such as dry mouth, grinding, clenching, and behavioral modification for mouth breathing.
Some of the most common treatment options involve the usage of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, along with supportive dental devices that either push the tongue or position the jaw properly.
The Bottom Line: The Surprising Link Between Your Child’s Oral Health And Pediatric Sleep Apnea
When you notice the tell-tale signs of sleep apnea, it’s best to visit your pediatric dentist and see how they can help minimize the detrimental effects on your child’s sleeping habits and oral health.
How Can We Help You Find A Dentist in Charlotte, NC?
Finding a reliable and reputable pediatric dentist for your child is crucial, especially when it involves specialized treatments for obstructive conditions like sleep apnea. Fortunately, Charlotte NC Dentist can help simplify your search as we offer a premier directory of prominent dentists in your area.
Get in touch with us today and let us help you search for the best dentist in Charlotte, NC.
