While traditional dental concerns such as tooth decay and gum infections are what often come to mind when protecting your teeth from harm, that is not to say that they are your only concerns. As a matter of fact, nontraditional sleep issues such as snoring and teeth grinding can lead to even bigger concerns down the line, and these problems are not above influencing your physical health overall. In today’s blog, your Houston, TX dentist takes a deeper look into the effects of sleep disorders, and how they can influence your health in a number of ways.
Deleterious Health Concerns
Taking care of your physical health consists of various practices. These include attending routine doctor visits, staying on top of eye health, and of course, seeking regular preventive treatment in order to maintain your bodily homeostasis. Indeed, there are countless factors out there that can influence your health, and it is for this reason most dentists, doctors, and specialists of the like recommend attending routine in-house visits.
When you face the effects of a sleep issue, however, you may be impacted in ways you did not initially expect. For example, teeth grinding can lead to immediate issues of wearing down your teeth, but untreated bruxism can grow into a dangerous jaw dysfunction. Similarly, issues caused by obstructive sleep apnea can lead to immediate side effects, but prolonged exposure can influence the development of deleterious health concerns.
You see, sleep apnea restricts the amount of oxygen that makes its way to the brain. Not only does this cause fatigue and irritability following restless sleep, but it will lead to increased cardiovascular issues, hypertension, problems with medications and surgeries, and more. For more information about this process, give our team a call today.
Thinking, Memory, and Cognitive Issues
As we mentioned earlier, sleep issues such as obstructive sleep apnea will begin to affect you immediately. For example, a lack of restful sleep will lead to hypersomnia during the day, as well as irritability, difficulty focusing, fatigue, and complications with thinking.
Perhaps one of the most notable side effects of consistently poor sleep has to be the impact on your thinking and memory. Indeed, an exhausted brain is often a confused one, and this phenomenon will only worsen over time before contributing to total-body health problems. Give our team a call today to learn more.
Weakened Immune System
Have you ever gone a period of time without sufficient sleep just to get sick and have to sleep off the illness? Indeed, poor or incomplete sleep can contribute to a weakened immune system, and before you know it, life is quickly catching up with you.
Schedule Your Visit
To learn more about the unexpected consequences of an untreated sleep issue, contact SleepWell Houston in Houston, TX by calling 713-796-9600 and schedule your next appointment with a member of our team today.
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