Another issue for mouth breathers!! Read the results of the study below and thank you for visiting Advanced Endodontics, Lakewood, Ohio!
Comparison of acidity levels in the mouths of individuals who did and did not breathe through the mouth during sleep finds mouth breathing may promote dental erosion and decay.
This was the finding of a study by dentistry researchers from the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.
The researchers note that dentists are reporting an increasing number of patients who complain of dry mouth, especially during sleep or upon awakening.
Mouth breathing during sleep can dry up saliva, which is an important defense mechanism for preventing the mouth becoming too acidic. Previous studies suggest that dry-mouth individuals run a higher risk of erosion than individuals with normal salivary secretion rates.
Acidity leads to loss of tooth enamel through erosion (the direct effect of acid without the influence of bacteria) and tooth decay or caries (the effect of bacteria breaking down foods to produce acid).
For the new study, the researchers decided to investigate what happens to acidity levels in the mouth during open- and closed-mouth sleep.
They measured pH and temperature levels in the mouths of 10 healthy volunteers as they alternately slept without and with a nose clip that forced them to breathe through the mouth.
Ranging from 0-14, pH is a measure of acidity. A pH of 7 is neutral, a pH under 7 is acidic, and a pH above 7 is basic or alkaline.
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