“Can Sleep Deprivation Harm My Teeth?”

Posted by drgracesun on May 9, 2009 under Healthy Smile, Information | Be the First to Comment

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most fundamental rules of good health. Getting 7 to 8 hours every night not only rejuvenates you for tomorrow’s activities, but sleep is essential for a well functioning immune system! Improper sleeping habits can also affect your oral health, including grinding and jaw problems which can lead to severe issues down the road.

When trying to understand your sleeping habits, it is essential to understand the difference between REM and non-REM sleep. REM, which is short for rapid eye movement, accounts for about 1/5 to 1/4 of a typical person’s total sleep in a night, and is characterized by a rapid flickering of the eyes, irregular breathing, major voluntary muscle paralysis and decrease in body temperature. It is high in brain activity and it is when most of our dreaming occurs. REM sleep is the fifth and last stage of sleep that occurs in the sleep cycle, which repeats itself about five times throughout a period of sleep. It is preceded by four stages of non-REM sleep.  The 3rd and 4th stages of NREM sleep are the deep sleep stages, there is evidence that brain cells reset their sodium and potassium level during this deep sleep, and in fact the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bones and muscle, and strengthen the immune system during this stage!

Usually the deep sleep represented with Delta waves in brain activity are long, slow undulating waves. Certain frequencies in the Delta range trigger the release of Human Growth Hormone and are thus beneficial to healing and regeneration. Quality sleep by definition must include deep sleep, which is the deepest, first cycle of your sleep – synchronizing your sleep with your body’s natural sleep cycle will help you obtain better quality sleep. For most of people, going to bed before 11 PM would follow the body’s natural biological rhythms. Your body’s call for sleep is essential, we need it to stay healthy.

Bruxism (grinding and clenching your teeth during sleep) is brought up with the contraction of your jaw muscles, which most intensively happens at the 2nd NREM sleep cycle stage, moving in and out of the REM cycles. If you don’t go to bed on time every night, or your sleep pattern gets interrupted repeatedly, you will not be able to get into the restful stage 3 and stage 4 sleep that your body needs. You will end up getting more of the shallower stages of sleep, and going through more clenching and grinding. As we have learned, the consequences of excessive force bought up with clenching and grinding of the teeth can lead to excessive wear on our teeth, breaking up dental restorations, overloading the mouth’s supporting structure, gum recession and even TMJ symptoms, if these destructive forces are not properly managed. Of course, we should all work on establishing healthier lifestyles, and  better rest. We can also work on better diet and cutting back on stimulants at night that can interrupt your sleep cycle. Having a custom-fitted nightguard made from your dentist might also be an idea worth exploring – consult with your dental professional, and stay healthy!