Suffering from chronic fatigue, Chicago? Your jaw may be to blame

Do you feel tired all the time? Being chronically tired can be caused by many factors. If you get enough sleep but are still fatigued during the day, you may not be getting good quality sleep. People who have sleep apnea suffer from lack of proper sleep without realizing it. Your jaws and mouth could be causing breathing problems at night that interrupt your sleep and lead to chronic fatigue.

How your jaws can interfere with nighttime breathing

If your teeth are not positioned properly, your jaws can be affected. They may move differently to compensate for the position of your teeth, and become stressed or sore. When you are asleep, your jaws will try to relax, and in the process they can block air from freely flowing through your air passageways.

Snoring is caused by air trying to pass through tissue at the back of the throat. If you have jaw soreness, this situation may be worsened by the unnatural position of your jaws as they try to relax. This is why snoring is an indication of a possible sleep disorder, particularly sleep apnea.

Diagnosing problems that may be contributing to poor sleep

While sleep disorders can only be diagnosed by qualified physicians, TMJ disorder, a jaw disorder that involves the joints of your jaws, can be diagnosed by a dentist. Our Chicago dentist is a specialist in treating TMJ disorder. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea by a doctor, TMJ treatment may help.

Sleep apnea treatment itself is most commonly CPAP, a forced-air machine that helps you breathe through a mask that you wear while you sleep. TMJ treatment can help lessen sleep apnea symptoms further, and possibly even eliminate the need for CPAP.

A dental solution for sleep apnea and fatigue

Dentists treat sleep apnea with the use of a dental orthotic. This is a device that is designed to fit your mouth. It is a small, comfortable appliance that gently guides your jaws into optimum position for free breathing while you sleep.

For some sleep apnea patients, using a dental orthotic eliminates the need for a CPAP machine and mask. In addition, if you have crooked teeth or a bad bite that may be contributing to your nighttime breathing problems and TMJ symptoms, orthodontics to correct the issue may offer permanent relief of symptoms.

Get more information

Contact us to learn more about how your jaws and your sleep are connected. If you have chronic fatigue and symptoms of TMJ disorder or jaw pain, we can help.

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