{"id":20198,"date":"2023-01-30T14:10:44","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T19:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=20198"},"modified":"2026-08-14T10:56:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T15:56:02","slug":"the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep apnea is a potentially <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/wellness-and-prevention\/the-dangers-of-uncontrolled-sleep-apnea\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dangerous sleep disorder<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in which breathing stops and starts frequently during sleep. An estimated 30 million adults in the United States suffer from sleep apnea. If left untreated, sleep apnea can have various adverse health effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr class=\"squiggle\" \/>\n<h3>What causes sleep apnea?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two different <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/sleep-apnea\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">types of sleep apnea<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea. This occurs when your airway is blocked while you&#8217;re sleeping. Obesity, large tonsils, and fluctuating hormone levels can cause obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea can range from mild to severe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/wellness-and-prevention\/the-dangers-of-uncontrolled-sleep-apnea\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">apnea-hypopnea index measures<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. This measure represents the number of breathing pauses you experience every hour you are asleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Severe obstructive sleep apnea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means that you have more than 30 pauses per hour.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Moderate obstructive sleep apnea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means you have between 15 and 30 episodes per hour.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mild obstructive sleep apnea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means you have between 5 and 15 episodes per hour.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your doctor will recommend treatment for this type of sleep apnea based on the severity of the apnea and any other medical conditions you have. For example, your doctor might decide to treat you even if you have mild obstructive sleep apnea but also have heart disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second type of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea. This type is far less common. Central sleep apnea is caused by medical conditions that impact how your brain sends signals to your airway and chest muscles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Age, family history and genetics all <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/sleep-apnea\/causes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increase your risk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of central sleep apnea. Lifestyle habits like drinking alcohol and smoking, as well as opioid use, are also risk factors. Some conditions affecting your brain&#8217;s control of your airway and chest muscles can raise your risk. These include heart failure, stroke and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your hormone levels can also affect how your brain controls your breathing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Negative health effects of sleep apnea<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Untreated sleep apnea can lead to an increased risk for cardiac and metabolic health problems. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/everything-youve-ever-wanted-to-know-about-snoring\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Snoring<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, tiredness, and high blood pressure are also common side effects. People with sleep apnea often <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-risks-of-an-undiagnosed-deviated-septum\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">do not get restful sleep<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> because breathing interruptions cause frequent night wake-ups. This lack of quality sleep results in mood swings, irritability and fatigue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While sleep apnea can cause you to feel sluggish and lethargic, it can also cause other health concerns. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/wellness-and-prevention\/the-dangers-of-uncontrolled-sleep-apnea\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some studies have found<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sleep apnea is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, strokes, heart attacks and a shorter lifespan. While obesity often causes sleep apnea, there are many instances in which obesity is not a factor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>How does sleep apnea affect oral health?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What many people do not realize is that sleep apnea can have a profound <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8874038\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">impact on your oral health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Sleep apnea increases the likelihood of tooth decay, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gum disease and teeth grinding. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because people with sleep apnea typically sleep with an open mouth, dry mouth is a common side effect.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Often, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/7-surprising-ways-your-oral-health-can-impact-your-sleep\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">oral health symptoms<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as enamel wear and gum disease point to sleep apnea, which is why it is so important to have regular visits with your dentist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/sleep-apnea\/treatment\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">oral devices can help treat sleep apnea<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These are custom-fit devices that you typically wear in your mouth while you sleep. Two kinds of oral devices work differently to open the upper airway while you sleep.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mandibular repositioning mouthpieces <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cover the upper and lower teeth. They make sure the jaw stays in a position that prevents it from blocking the upper airway.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tongue-retaining devices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> make sure the tongue doesn&#8217;t block the upper airway.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>How can I diagnose and prevent sleep apnea?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep studies are often performed to diagnose sleep apnea. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/sleep-apnea\/diagnosis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep diaries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are also a helpful tool to record how restful your sleep was and how tired you felt the following day. All of these details you collect can help your doctor diagnose your condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many conditions can cause sleep apnea, so blood tests are often necessary to rule out any medical issues contributing to the apnea. For instance, conditions like PCOS and hypothyroidism can cause sleep apnea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating a heart-healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption and quitting smoking can help prevent sleep apnea. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While these lifestyle changes can also help alleviate sleep apnea if you have it, breathing devices are a standard treatment option. If these treatments don&#8217;t work, your doctor might suggest surgery to resolve the underlying issue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><style id=\"zia-frontend-inline\">.zia-ad {\n    --zia-radius: 24px;\n    --zia-band-pad: clamp(24px, 3cqw, 40px);\n    --zia-band-overlap: 24px;\n    display: block;\n    text-decoration: none;\n    position: relative;\n    aspect-ratio: 4 \/ 1;\n    container-type: inline-size;\n    box-sizing: border-box;\n    border-radius: 0;\n    margin: 0 0 24px;\n    font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Product Sans\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\n    background-repeat: no-repeat;\n    background-size: cover;\n    background-position: center;\n    background-image: var(--zia-bg-desktop, none);\n    transition: box-shadow 0.12s ease;\n}\n\n.zia-ad:hover,\n.zia-ad:focus {\n    box-shadow: 0 6px 18px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);\n}\n\n.zia-ad *,\n.zia-ad *::before,\n.zia-ad *::after {\n    box-sizing: border-box;\n}\n\na.zia-ad,\na.zia-ad:hover,\na.zia-ad:focus {\n    color: #333333;\n    text-decoration: none;\n}\n\n.zia-ad,\n.zia-ad *,\n.zia-ad *:hover,\n.zia-ad *:focus {\n    text-decoration: none !important;\n}\n\n.zia-ad__content {\n    display: flex;\n    flex-direction: column;\n    justify-content: center;\n    height: 100%;\n    padding: clamp(24px, 3cqw, 40px);\n}\n\n.zia-ad .zia-ad__content h2.zia-ad__heading {\n    margin: 0;\n    font-size: calc(32px * var(--zia-fit, 1));\n    line-height: 100%;\n    font-weight: 600;\n    color: inherit;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--no-image .zia-ad__content h2.zia-ad__heading {\n    font-size: calc(40px * var(--zia-fit, 1));\n    font-weight: 700;\n}\n\n.zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__body,\n.zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__body p {\n    font-size: 18px;\n    line-height: 130%;\n    font-weight: 600;\n    color: inherit;\n}\n\n.zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__body p {\n    margin: 0 0 0.4em;\n}\n\n.zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__body p:last-child {\n    margin-bottom: 0;\n}\n\n.zia-ad__actions {\n    margin-top: 0;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__content h2.zia-ad__heading {\n    margin-bottom: 12px;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__body {\n    margin-bottom: 18px;\n}\n\n.zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__actions .zia-ad__button {\n    display: inline-flex;\n    align-items: center;\n    justify-content: center;\n    align-self: flex-start;\n    background: #fdfaee;\n    color: #1a1a1a;\n    text-decoration: none;\n    font-weight: 600;\n    font-size: 18px;\n    line-height: 130%;\n    padding: 10px 20px;\n    border: 0;\n    border-radius: 999px;\n    box-shadow: none;\n    white-space: nowrap;\n}\n\n.zia-ad__media {\n    position: relative;\n    overflow: hidden;\n}\n\n.zia-ad__img {\n    display: block;\n    width: 100%;\n    height: 100%;\n    object-fit: cover;\n}\n\n.zia-ad.zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__media img.zia-ad__img {\n    margin: 0;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--cl-split .zia-ad__content {\n    display: grid;\n    grid-template-columns: 1fr auto;\n    grid-template-areas:\n        \"head btn\"\n        \"body btn\";\n    align-items: center;\n    align-content: center;\n    column-gap: clamp(24px, 4vw, 56px);\n    row-gap: 24px;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--cl-split .zia-ad__heading {\n    grid-area: head;\n    align-self: end;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--cl-split .zia-ad__body {\n    grid-area: body;\n    align-self: start;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--cl-split .zia-ad__actions {\n    grid-area: btn;\n    margin-top: 0;\n    align-self: center;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--cl-columns .zia-ad__content {\n    display: grid;\n    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);\n    align-items: center;\n    gap: 28px;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--cl-columns .zia-ad__actions {\n    margin-top: 0;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image {\n    display: grid;\n    grid-template-columns: 1fr 2fr;\n    grid-template-rows: 100%;\n    align-items: stretch;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--ratio-1-4 { grid-template-columns: 1fr 3fr; }\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--ratio-1-3 { grid-template-columns: 1fr 2fr; }\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--ratio-1-2 { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; }\n\n.zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__media {\n    min-height: 100%;\n    height: 100%;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__content {\n    justify-content: center;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-trailing.zia-ad--ratio-1-4 { grid-template-columns: 3fr 1fr; }\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-trailing.zia-ad--ratio-1-3 { grid-template-columns: 2fr 1fr; }\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-trailing.zia-ad--ratio-1-2 { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; }\n\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-trailing .zia-ad__media {\n    order: 2;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-leading .zia-ad__media {\n    border-radius: 0 var(--zia-radius) var(--zia-radius) 0;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-trailing .zia-ad__media {\n    border-radius: var(--zia-radius) 0 0 var(--zia-radius);\n}\n\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__content {\n    display: grid;\n    grid-template-columns: 100%;\n    grid-template-rows: 100%;\n    padding: 0;\n    gap: 0;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__heading,\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__body,\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__actions {\n    grid-area: 1 \/ 1;\n    justify-self: start;\n    align-self: stretch;\n    min-width: 0;\n    display: flex;\n    flex-direction: column;\n    justify-content: center;\n    padding: var(--zia-band-pad);\n    border-radius: 0 var(--zia-radius) var(--zia-radius) 0;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__heading {\n    width: 33.333%;\n    background: var(--zia-band-1);\n    z-index: 3;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__body {\n    width: 66.666%;\n    padding-left: calc(33.333% + var(--zia-band-pad));\n    background: var(--zia-band-2);\n    z-index: 2;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__actions {\n    width: 100%;\n    padding-left: calc(66.666% + var(--zia-band-pad));\n    background: var(--zia-band-3);\n    z-index: 1;\n    border-radius: 0;\n    align-items: center;\n    justify-content: center;\n}\n\n.zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__button {\n    align-self: center;\n    margin: 0 auto;\n}\n\n@media (max-width: 767px) {\n    .zia-ad {\n        background-image: var(--zia-bg-mobile, none);\n        aspect-ratio: unset;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--no-image:not(.zia-ad--bands) .zia-ad__content {\n        display: flex;\n        flex-direction: column;\n        justify-content: flex-start;\n        align-items: stretch;\n        gap: 18px;\n        grid-template-columns: none;\n        grid-template-areas: none;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--no-image:not(.zia-ad--bands) .zia-ad__heading,\n    .zia-ad--no-image:not(.zia-ad--bands) .zia-ad__body,\n    .zia-ad--no-image:not(.zia-ad--bands) .zia-ad__actions {\n        grid-area: auto;\n        align-self: auto;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--no-image:not(.zia-ad--bands) .zia-ad__actions {\n        margin-top: auto;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--with-image {\n        display: flex;\n        flex-direction: column;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__media,\n    .zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__img {\n        height: auto;\n        min-height: 0;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__content {\n        justify-content: flex-start;\n        flex: 1 1 auto;\n        height: auto;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__actions {\n        margin-top: auto;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-leading .zia-ad__media,\n    .zia-ad--with-image.zia-ad--img-trailing .zia-ad__media {\n        order: 0;\n        border-radius: 0 0 40px 40px;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--with-image .zia-ad__content h2.zia-ad__heading {\n        margin-bottom: 16px;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__content {\n        height: 100%;\n        grid-template-rows: 100%;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__heading,\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__body,\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__actions {\n        width: 100%;\n        align-self: start;\n        padding: var(--zia-band-pad);\n        border-radius: 0 0 var(--zia-radius) var(--zia-radius);\n    }\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__heading {\n        height: 40.27%;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__body {\n        height: 80.67%;\n        padding-top: calc(40.27% + var(--zia-band-pad));\n    }\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__actions {\n        height: 100%;\n        padding-top: calc(80.67% + 45px);\n        padding-bottom: 45px;\n        border-radius: 0;\n        align-items: flex-start;\n        justify-content: center;\n    }\n    .zia-ad--bands .zia-ad__button {\n        align-self: flex-start;\n        margin: 0;\n    }\n    .zia-ad__content {\n        min-height: 0;\n        height: 100%;\n        padding: clamp(28px, 7vw, 44px);\n    }\n    .zia-ad .zia-ad__content h2.zia-ad__heading {\n        font-size: calc(32px * var(--zia-fit, 1));\n    }\n    .zia-ad--no-image:not(.zia-ad--bands) .zia-ad__content h2.zia-ad__heading {\n        max-width: 75%;\n    }\n    .zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__body,\n    .zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__body p {\n        font-size: 16px;\n    }\n    .zia-ad .zia-ad__content .zia-ad__actions .zia-ad__button {\n        font-size: 15px;\n        padding: 16px 30px;\n    }\n}\n<\/style><a class=\"zia-ad zia-ad--no-image zia-ad--cl-split zia-ad--link\" style=\"color:#333333;background-size:cover;background-position:left center;background-repeat:no-repeat;--zia-bg-desktop:url(https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/zocdoc-internal-ads\/assets\/backgrounds\/orange_grad.svg);--zia-bg-mobile:url(https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/zocdoc-internal-ads\/assets\/backgrounds\/orange_grad_square.svg);background-color:#FFCE9C\" data-zia-ad=\"0\" data-zia-slug=\"patient-internal-ad-app-download-1\" href=\"https:\/\/zocdoc.app.link\/patient-blog\"><div class=\"zia-ad__content\"><h2 class=\"zia-ad__heading\">Book doctors without the back-and-forth<\/h2><div class=\"zia-ad__body\"><p>Don't wait for care<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"zia-ad__actions\"><span class=\"zia-ad__button\">Get the app<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/a><script id=\"zia-frontend-fit\">\/**\n * Fit-to-box for internal ads.\n *\n * Only the tri-band layout packs its title into a narrow column of a fixed shape\n * (banner 4:1, square 1:1), so a long title can overflow. This shrinks just the\n * heading, and only on tri-band ads, via its `--zia-fit` until it fits \u2014 never\n * scaling past the design size. Pure DOM measurement, no dependencies. Runs on\n * load, on width changes, and once web fonts finish loading.\n *\/\n( function () {\n\t'use strict';\n\n\t\/\/ Don't shrink smaller than this.\n\tvar MIN_SCALE = 0.4;\n\n\t\/\/ Match the CSS breakpoint: < 768px is the 1:1 square, else the 4:1 banner.\n\tfunction ratioFor() {\n\t\treturn window.matchMedia( '(max-width: 767px)' ).matches ? 1 : 4;\n\t}\n\n\t\/\/ True when the text is taller than its box. scrollHeight misses overflow on a\n\t\/\/ centred flex column, so measure with top-alignment to push it all downward.\n\t\/\/ +1px absorbs sub-pixel rounding.\n\tfunction overflows( el ) {\n\t\tvar prevJustify = el.style.justifyContent;\n\t\tel.style.justifyContent = 'flex-start';\n\t\tvar over = el.scrollHeight > el.clientHeight + 1;\n\t\tel.style.justifyContent = prevJustify;\n\t\treturn over;\n\t}\n\n\t\/\/ Shrink one block's font (via --zia-fit) until it stops overflowing.\n\tfunction fitBlock( el ) {\n\t\tif ( ! el ) {\n\t\t\treturn;\n\t\t}\n\t\tel.style.setProperty( '--zia-fit', '1' );\n\t\tif ( ! overflows( el ) ) {\n\t\t\treturn; \/\/ already fits\n\t\t}\n\n\t\tvar lo = MIN_SCALE,\n\t\t\thi = 1,\n\t\t\tbest = MIN_SCALE;\n\t\tfor ( var i = 0; i < 12; i++ ) {\n\t\t\tvar mid = ( lo + hi ) \/ 2;\n\t\t\tel.style.setProperty( '--zia-fit', String( mid ) );\n\t\t\tif ( ! overflows( el ) ) {\n\t\t\t\tbest = mid; \/\/ fits, try larger\n\t\t\t\tlo = mid;\n\t\t\t} else {\n\t\t\t\thi = mid; \/\/ too big, go smaller\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t\tel.style.setProperty( '--zia-fit', best.toFixed( 3 ) );\n\t}\n\n\tfunction fit( ad ) {\n\t\t\/\/ Only tri-band ads squeeze the title, so only shrink here.\n\t\tif ( ! ad.classList.contains( 'zia-ad--bands' ) ) {\n\t\t\treturn;\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t\/\/ offsetWidth is the layout width, unaffected by the admin preview's scale() wrapper.\n\t\tvar w = ad.offsetWidth;\n\t\tif ( ! w ) {\n\t\t\treturn;\n\t\t}\n\t\tvar designH = w \/ ratioFor();\n\n\t\t\/\/ Pin the ad to its design height while measuring so overflow is real, then restore.\n\t\tvar prevHeight = ad.style.height;\n\t\tvar prevOverflow = ad.style.overflow;\n\t\tad.style.height = designH + 'px';\n\t\tad.style.overflow = 'hidden';\n\n\t\tfitBlock( ad.querySelector( '.zia-ad__heading' ) );\n\n\t\tad.style.height = prevHeight;\n\t\tad.style.overflow = prevOverflow;\n\t}\n\n\tfunction fitAll() {\n\t\tvar ads = document.querySelectorAll( '.zia-ad' );\n\t\tfor ( var i = 0; i < ads.length; i++ ) {\n\t\t\tfit( ads[ i ] );\n\t\t}\n\t}\n\n\t\/\/ Batch resize callbacks into one pass per frame.\n\tvar scheduled = false;\n\tfunction schedule() {\n\t\tif ( scheduled ) {\n\t\t\treturn;\n\t\t}\n\t\tscheduled = true;\n\t\twindow.requestAnimationFrame( function () {\n\t\t\tscheduled = false;\n\t\t\tfitAll();\n\t\t} );\n\t}\n\n\t\/\/ Number the ads by document order (1-based) for click logging. Done here, not\n\t\/\/ in PHP, because a shortcode can run more than once per request \u2014 only the DOM\n\t\/\/ knows the true on-page order.\n\tfunction numberAds() {\n\t\tvar ads = document.querySelectorAll( '[data-zia-ad]' );\n\t\tfor ( var i = 0; i < ads.length; i++ ) {\n\t\t\tads[ i ].setAttribute( 'data-zia-ad', i + 1 );\n\t\t}\n\t}\n\n\tfunction init() {\n\t\tnumberAds();\n\t\tfitAll();\n\n\t\tif ( 'ResizeObserver' in window ) {\n\t\t\tvar ro = new ResizeObserver( schedule );\n\t\t\tvar ads = document.querySelectorAll( '.zia-ad' );\n\t\t\tfor ( var i = 0; i < ads.length; i++ ) {\n\t\t\t\tro.observe( ads[ i ] );\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t} else {\n\t\t\twindow.addEventListener( 'resize', schedule );\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t\/\/ Web fonts can swap in after first paint and change the metrics.\n\t\tif ( document.fonts && document.fonts.ready ) {\n\t\t\tdocument.fonts.ready.then( fitAll );\n\t\t}\n\t}\n\n\tif ( document.readyState === 'loading' ) {\n\t\tdocument.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', init );\n\t} else {\n\t\tinit();\n\t}\n} )();\n<\/script><\/h1>\n<h1>Need a doctor\u2019s appointment? Find one on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/\">Zocdoc<\/a>.<\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sleep apnea can have more of an impact on your teeth than you might expect. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":20199,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[97,120,106,83],"class_list":["post-20198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-dental-care","tag-sleep","tag-treatment","tag-wellness","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sleep apnea can have more of an impact on your teeth than you might expect.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health - Guides\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sleep apnea can have more of an impact on your teeth than you might expect.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Paper Gown\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-01-30T19:10:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-14T15:56:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"448\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joanna Mastrocola\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joanna Mastrocola\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joanna Mastrocola\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/485e2e2b2c68e635aa05b0e8deb09505\"},\"headline\":\"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-01-30T19:10:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-14T15:56:02+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/\"},\"wordCount\":747,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Dental Care\",\"Sleep\",\"Treatment\",\"Wellness\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Guides\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/\",\"name\":\"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health - Guides\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-01-30T19:10:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-14T15:56:02+00:00\",\"description\":\"Sleep apnea can have more of an impact on your teeth than you might expect.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png\",\"width\":960,\"height\":448},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Guides\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/category\/guides\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"The Paper Gown\",\"description\":\"Stories for and about patients\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Zocdoc\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png\",\"width\":2059,\"height\":1049,\"caption\":\"Zocdoc\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/485e2e2b2c68e635aa05b0e8deb09505\",\"name\":\"Joanna Mastrocola\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/author\/jmastrocola\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health - Guides","description":"Sleep apnea can have more of an impact on your teeth than you might expect.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health - Guides","og_description":"Sleep apnea can have more of an impact on your teeth than you might expect.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/","og_site_name":"The Paper Gown","article_published_time":"2023-01-30T19:10:44+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-14T15:56:02+00:00","og_image":[{"width":960,"height":448,"url":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Joanna Mastrocola","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joanna Mastrocola","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/"},"author":{"name":"Joanna Mastrocola","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/485e2e2b2c68e635aa05b0e8deb09505"},"headline":"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health","datePublished":"2023-01-30T19:10:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-14T15:56:02+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/"},"wordCount":747,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png","keywords":["Dental Care","Sleep","Treatment","Wellness"],"articleSection":["Guides"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/","name":"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health - Guides","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png","datePublished":"2023-01-30T19:10:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-14T15:56:02+00:00","description":"Sleep apnea can have more of an impact on your teeth than you might expect.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleep-apnea-hero-image.png","width":960,"height":448},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-oral-health\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Guides","item":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/category\/guides\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Oral Health"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/","name":"The Paper Gown","description":"Stories for and about patients","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Zocdoc","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png","width":2059,"height":1049,"caption":"Zocdoc"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/485e2e2b2c68e635aa05b0e8deb09505","name":"Joanna Mastrocola","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/author\/jmastrocola\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20198"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21740,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20198\/revisions\/21740"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}