What Does Bed Wetting Have to Do With Oral Health?

Bedwetting is a common issue among children, but many parents may be unaware that it could be indicative of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing stops during sleep or becomes very shallow; when this happens, it manifests in various forms, including bedwetting, snoring, difficulty focusing during the daytime, and so on.

As a parent, deciding the appropriate action when your child experiences sleep apnea symptoms can be daunting. One option may be working with a dentist who specializes in treating sleep-related issues; these specialists are trained to recognize signs of sleep apnea and collaborate with healthcare teams on creating treatment plans.

How Is Bedwetting Connected With Oral Health?

The answer lies in the relationship between the mouth structure and breathing ability during sleep—specifically narrow palates, high-arched palates, or other structural anomalies and children who habitually breathe through their mouth throughout the day—and bedwetting. Children who are more at risk include those who use their mouth for daytime breathing (i.e., breathing through it as opposed to their nose).

Dentists who specialize in sleep issues can help address structural problems through various means, with one option being the use of a mandibular advancement device (MAD), which functions like a customized mouthguard to keep the jaw forward during sleep and prevent airway collapse.

Myofunctional therapy, a type of physical therapy for facial and tongue muscles, may provide another effective approach. Myofunctional therapy promotes proper breathing patterns and tongue posture to make breathing easier for your child during sleep time.

Dentists specializing in sleep issues can collaborate with your child's healthcare team to devise a comprehensive plan for treating their sleep apnea, including weight reduction or the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.

Asserting sleep apnea in children extends far beyond helping them rest better; sleep apnea has been linked with numerous health conditions, such high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes. By working with a dentist who specializes in sleep issues, you can ensure your child receives the treatment they require to avoid such potential dangers.

Do You Notice Your Child Breathing Through Their Mouth or Snoring While Sleeping?

Are they experiencing speech problems? These could be telltale signs of an oral disorder, which your dentist can help address. A child's teeth and oral and facial muscles play an integral part in daily activities, such as breathing and sleeping.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is a treatment designed to address muscle dysfunction related to breathing, tongue position, chewing, speaking, and swallowing. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can result in positive results for your child as well as prevent future myofunctional issues from emerging.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition in which children experience repeated pauses in breathing while asleep, much like some adults. Soft tissues, like the tongue or tonsils, may obstruct airways completely or partially and cause snoring; additional factors, like sleeping position and excess weight, could contribute to OSA as well.

Anxious sleepiness may indicate poor sleeping quality for children with sleep difficulties. Nightmares, difficulty with breathing during sleep (choking or gasping sounds during slumber), restless sleeping, mouth breathing during sleep, sleeping in unusual positions, bedwetting, daytime drowsiness, poor appetite, difficulty focusing, or aggression may also be signs that need further evaluation and intervention by medical teams and dentists alike.

If this sounds familiar to you and your children are experiencing some or all these symptoms, then it’s worth discussing with their healthcare team and dentist. By doing so, you can identify any potential dental disorders and work with the healthcare team and dentist to develop appropriate solutions that suit your children’s needs.

At Wing Dental, our team is committed to creating an enjoyable dental experience for every child. We recognize that each child is an individual who deserves compassion, understanding, and patience. So, to create this atmosphere, we use a simple process called “show-tell-do” that introduces children to our dental office, equipment, dentist, and team gradually over time. This means educating the child about something they may encounter as we go along, explaining what will be happening, and then performing procedures with minimal discomfort to all parties involved.

We understand that children may be nervous during their visit, so we welcome assistance from their parents during our show-tell-do to make it an enjoyable experience and help them relax in their new environment. We never force anything, as we believe comfort can only come when children understand and trust the process involved in dentistry.

According to Alberta Dental Association recommendations, we encourage parents to bring their children for their initial dental checkup by the age of one. This initial evaluation includes not only teeth examination but also assessment of jawbone growth, tongue health, and tonsil size as well as floor of the mouth TMJ issues and lymph nodes in their head and neck areas.

At Wing Dental, we would be more than delighted to introduce your child to dentistry in an enjoyable and non-threatening way. Call or schedule an appointment now so we can give your little one the best start possible with their dental health.