According to new research, sleeping with your mouth open could be as bad for your teeth as fizzy drinks because it can cause decay. The study, which has been published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, shows that people who sleep with their mouths open are at greater risk of decay than those who breathe through their noses due to dangerous levels of acid building up during the night.
The research stated that saliva can naturally prevent plaque and decay from building up on the teeth; if you are sleeping with your mouth open this will generally cause the saliva to dry up and this means that the teeth are not as well protected from plaque, which can lead to decay and gum disease. Plaque is known as a ‘biofilm’ that is invisible but coats the teeth and releases acid which can cause cavities and other dental problems if treatment is not provided
Furthermore, the study showed that sleeping with the mouth open raises the levels of acidity in the mouth to a 3.6 on the PH scale, which is the same as having a fizzy drink before bed time, as it leads to plaque building up on the teeth.