Snoring is no fun. In addition to disrupted sleep, snoring can also lead to headaches, fatigue and difficulty focusing during the day. The harmful effects of snoring don’t stop there, however. If you’re a chronic snorer, your oral health could be at risk of being negatively impacted as well.  

We’ve discussed before how proper hydration is a key contributor to a healthy smile. Drinking frequently (especially water) promotes saliva production, which helps to clean your teeth, wash away harmful acid-causing bacteria and otherwise keep your mouth’s ecosystem balanced. Snoring, on the other hand, does the exact opposite. It dries your mouth out over the course of a typical night’s rest as your mouth remains open for much longer than it would when you’re awake. As saliva production slows down at night, this additional loss of moisture can add up to big problems if it occurs chronically over a long enough period of time.  

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, can cause a wide variety of symptoms that range from mildly inconvenient – like a dry and sticky feeling in the mouth, to the undesirable – like bad breath, to the concerning – like recurring mouth sores or oral infections. Lack of saliva can quickly lead to an increase in harmful mouth bacteria which contribute to tooth decay and cavities. Bad breath in particular is an extremely common sign of dry mouth.

If you snore consistently, make sure to mention it to us at your next appointment. We can make lifestyle recommendations to help prevent chronic snoring, discuss treatment options dry mouth or do further investigation, if needed.  

One great way to address chronic snoring is through Solea Sleep treatment, which is a minimally invasive laser therapy treatment offered at our Garden City clinic! Booking is easy, all you need to do is use the orange “Book Online” button to get started.  

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