Call Family Dentist in Wenatchee, WA if Your Child Snores

When a kid is stuffy or has a cold, he/she snores occasionally. However, if you find your child snoring constantly for more than one or two weeks and is not sick, be alert and fix regular dental visits. Snoring in children can result in dental, behavioral, and health problems. It may also indicate a big problem like sleep apnea.

Is Snoring During Childhood Normal?

The Sleep Education Statistics claim that 10 to 12% of kids snore. Snoring occurs in overweight middle-aged males. When we fall asleep, it relaxes the tongue and airway muscles. Due to this, the tongue falls back into the throat. It minimizes the throat air volume that causes a vibration. It is what is called snoring. But snoring in children is not normal. Even one study has shown that kids that loudly snored were twice as likely to have learning issues.

How Does a Child’s Oral Health Contribute to Snoring?

Snoring during childhood can cause deep breathing problems. It can create development risks because of a lack of sleep. Cramped or crooked teeth in children indicate that the jawbone has not developed yet. It also restricts the airways, which makes breathing hard. Snoring and struggling with crooked teeth can also indicate OSA.

With nearly 10% of kids snoring regularly, 2 to 4% have OSA concurrently. The condition occurs when the airway gets blocked. It leads to breathing pauses repetitively during sleep. Other symptoms of childhood sleep apnea can be bed wetting, shadows under the eyes, aggressive behavior, sweating during sleep, etc.

Take pediatric sleep apnea seriously because the condition can be dangerous. A trip to the pediatrician can help you get an effective solution. Another treatment choice can be orthodontics.

Why Worry If Your Kid Snores?

If your kid is snoring, take help from the dentist expert in pediatric dentistry in Wenatchee, WA:

Blocked Pediatric Airway

The throat and mouth of children are not properly developed. So, their airways can be crowded and tiny. Blocked airways at night can be due to several reasons like oversized tonsils, misaligned teeth, or allergies. It prevents your child from receiving a relaxed sleep at night. This ultimately leads to ADHD-like signs, developmental issues, and struggles in school.

Abnormal Palate or Misalignment Teeth

A child’s blocked pediatric airway can be from misaligned teeth or a crowded mouth. It can make sleep disturbed. This significantly affects the physical and mental development of your kid. It also minimizes the energy levels for participation in daytime activities at school or daycare. The experts will evaluate the teeth to determine the main cause of snoring.

Risks Associated with Snoring in Children

Let us discover the problems that can be related to snoring:

Teeth Grinding

When breathing accompanies snoring, it can indicate issues in the oral development of your kid. Teeth grinding moves the lower jaw ahead. It shifts the mouth floor, tongue, and teeth to enhance the airway dimensions. If you notice your kid grinding teeth or snoring at night but also has crooked teeth, it could indicate the signs of obstructive sleep apnea.

Mouth Problems

Snoring related to sleeping with your mouth open can also result in several mouth issues. These include the risk of gum diseases, tooth decay, burning mouth syndrome, halitosis, etc.

Daytime Tiredness

Another complication of snoring is that the brain may get insufficient optimal oxygen while sleeping. It can lead to daytime tiredness. Sleep is a pivotal time for growing kids. During this, the body is resetting and recreating its every process.

How Do Pediatric Dentists Help?

Although snoring can be no cause for worry in a few kids, it’s best to find a pediatric dentist as soon as possible. The pediatric dentist will help you identify if your kid is prone to sleep-disordered breathing. Kids with sleep-disordered breathing may also show symptoms of ADHD and ADD.

The family dentist in Wenatchee, WA will usually conduct a lip and a tie evaluation to find if a tongue or a lip tie is causing breathing difficulties in your kid. The doctor uses advanced dental lasers to fix a lip and a tongue tie for improved daily oral care. Stay in touch with our professionals at Confluence Dental Wenatchee today.