The first and simplest problem that bacteria in the month can cause is tonsillitis. Tonsils are two large masses of immune tissues situated on either side of the throat and their job is to keep bacteria in the mouth from getting down into the lungs. The more bacteria that there are in the mouth; the harder this job becomes. When people have poor oral hygiene; the tonsils become swollen. This leads to a partial blockage of the airway. In children this leads to a form of sleep apnea. This is how the dominos fall: First the child has poor oral hygiene. Then the tonsils swell. The airway is partially blocked. The child develops sleep apnea. The child does not sleep well. The child is tired in the morning. The child becomes cranky and hard to get along with. The child is tired at school and does not do well there. Life becomes difficult for this child at home, at school, and everywhere else. (Wait a minute! This discussion seems to suggest that thorough brushing and flossing can be can play a key roll in raising a happy, successful, well-adjusted child. Who knew?)
Tonsillitis is also a factor to consider in adults with sleep disorders although by adulthood other factors have come into play and the matter is more complicated. Still if thorough oral hygiene will fix this one problem; it is a cheap and easy place to start.
