How Night Breathing Impacts the Health of Your Mouth and Teeth

How heavy is your night breathing? Don’t know? Just ask your dentist. People who sleep with their mouths open tend to be at high risk for dry mouth — a condition a dentist can immediately identify. Now, a study conducted in New Zealand indicates that those open-mouthed sleepers who have dry mouth are more prone to tooth decay.

Heavy Night Breathing Impacts a pH in the Mouth  

The NZ study specifically focused on what happens to the acidity of the mouth during open and closed mouth sleep.  The results showed that on average , daytime mouth pH was 7.3 and during sleep it was 7.0.  The mean mouth pH during sleep with mouth breathing was 6.6.  The researchers also found that pH levels inside the mouth dropped to 3.6 in individuals who breathed through their mouths.  This is well below the threshold (pH 5.5) for when tooth enamel starts to break down.

Dry Mouth a Common Oral Condition

Dry mouth is becoming increasingly more common. Besides mouth breathing at night,  daily medication, and consumption of coffee and alcohol can also cause the condition. If you believe you are at risk,  it is important to get more frequent dental check ups so that dental decay can be diagnosed and treated early.

Proper brushing, flossing, using non alcoholic mouthwashes, and cutting down on coffee and alcohol is a must for patients with dry mouth.

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