Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation or a meal when you suddenly bite your lip? What about your tongue? This frustrating and inconvenient occurrence is sure to send a twinge of pain down your spine. It’s annoying when it happens, and the sharp pain takes a while to go away.

But what happens when you do this while you’re asleep? You don’t respond to the pain since you don’t feel it. What’s to stop you from doing this multiple times? This is in fact a real problem that our experts at Samaritan Dental Arts have seen in both children and adults. Those who bite their tongues often are at risk for more serious conditions like infections, ulcers, and scalloping.

Here are some common causes, as well as the signs and symptoms of biting your lip or tongue during your sleep, and when to get help for this recurring problem.

Malocclusion

What is malocclusion? Well, it’s a fancy word for the misalignment of the teeth. Nobody is born with perfectly straight teeth, but some people have misalignments that can cause vast and repeating dental issues. Those with overbites or underbites, or crowded teeth, have a tendency to bite their lip and tongue much more frequently.

According to Medical News Today, there is also a more serious type of malocclusion known as temporomandibular disorder, also called TMD or TMJ. This affects the joint that connects the jaw to the skull, and it can also cause a misalignment of the teeth. Your teeth may also shift frequently during sleep, causing you to bite the inside of your mouth.

You should seek treatment for this issue if you wake up with:

• Red or swollen lips/tongue
• Sores on the lips/tongue
• Inflammation in the mouth

Let’s take a look at some of the other symptoms, causes, and treatment options for this serious sleep habit.

Teeth Grinding

Do you suffer from bruxism – constant grinding or clenching of your teeth? You can be suffering from this for many reasons. Some of the causes or physical, while others may be psychological. People who are under a lot of stress tend to grind and clench their teeth without even realizing it. This often happens during sleep as well.

With teeth constantly shifting around like that, unchecked during sleep, you’re bound to bite your tongue and lips often. This can be a painful experience all around, but one that can also cause infection to spread.

If you frequently wake up with pain, cuts, or bruising, you should schedule an appointment with your dental professional right away.

Seizures and Sleep Apnea

On a more serious note, it’s possible that you may be struggling with nighttime seizures or even sleep apnea. Healthline makes it clear that sleep apnea is not a cause of biting the tongue, but it is a symptom often seen in tandem with the condition.

Nighttime seizures often cause patients to bite their tongues during sleep. Whether you suffer from a type of epilepsy or another kind of seizure, you might be unconsciously biting on your tongue and lips without even knowing it.

So, how can you get help with these symptoms? What can you do to help stop this bad unconscious habit?

At Samaritan Dental Arts, we provide a wide variety of solutions that are tailored to each and every patient. For some, it may be as simple as an investment in a smoking cessation program, as smoking can lead to many of the symptoms listed above. In other cases, you may need a CPAP machine to handle your sleep apnea. But no matter the cause, rest assured that you are in good hands.

Schedule Your Next Dental Appointment with Us!

Do the above situations sound familiar? Are you worried that you may be biting parts of your mouth during sleep? Or, perhaps you have other dental issues you need to get taken care of? Our friendly experts are here to help! Samaritan Dental Arts is available for patients of all ages on a 24/7 schedule. To learn more, contact us online or give us a call at (213) 986-2933. We look forward to seeing you soon!