You may go quite a while without taking a close look at your tongue only to find yourself highly concerned one day when you noticed indentations along its border. Or, you might have thought this was just the normal appearance of most tongues out there. While scheduling a visit for a final determination with us is always the best decision, we are happy to let you in on some factual information regarding why you might be seeing that scalloped appearance. Don’t worry, this oral health symptom arises as the result of treatable issues.
It Could Be Bruxism
Do you have bruxism? Those indentations along the border of your tongue may point to the fact that you do, in fact, grind or clench your teeth every day. Often during sleep, the tendency to clench your teeth together will place consistent pressure against your tongue’s border, the results of which include indentations. Fortunately, we can address this oral health concern with bruxism treatment. Comfortable use of a nightguard will set you on a path toward recovery.
You May Need Sleep Apnea Treatment
If bruxism isn’t the oral health concern connected to your tongue indentations, it’s quite possible that you’re dealing with sleep apnea. This sleep disorder occurs when your airways become blocked while you sleep. Contributing factors to obstruction may include large tonsils, a tongue that is too big (as determined by the indentations), throat tissues that collapse, tongue tissue that slips backward toward the throat, and excessive soft palate tissue. Fortunately, we offer sleep apnea treatment to address and improve this concern.
