How Sleep Affects Your Patients’ Oral Health

Poor sleep stresses the body causing inflammation and immune system disruption. These factors lead to an increased risk of gum disease. The tissue-damaging inflammation contributes to destructive periodontal disease, and as it is well known, periodontitis can ultimately lead to tooth loss if left untreated. This inflammatory disease cannot be reversed if it progresses too far, so it is crucial to take action as soon as possible. Maintaining good oral health through proper hygiene and regular dental checkups will help your patients combat periodontal disease.

What is also important to point out is that sleep deprivation negatively affects cognition and motor performance, which might impair one’s ability to perform proper oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing might not be carried out properly or might be neglected altogether, only exasperating the inflammatory condition caused by poor sleep. It is important to remind your patients that even if they feel tired, they should continue to take proper care of their teeth. If good oral habits are not maintained, regardless of the circumstances, it will be easy for patients to abandon them. What’s more, if the patient experiences pain due to inflammation or gum disease, their quality of sleep will suffer further. You can see how this cycle could continue in an unpleasant loop that will negatively affect your patients’ health. On the other hand, when a patient gets good quality sleep, their body is regenerated, keeping their gums and teeth healthy. They also have more energy to practice proper oral hygiene, preventing gum disease and cavities from forming.

Our goal at Centrix is ‘Making Dentistry Easier’ for you and your patients! We strongly believe that educating your patients on the connection between a good night’s sleep and their oral health will help them make the right choices and maintain good habits for life.

For more information, call 800.235-5862 or visit www.centrixdental.com.