I have a nine year old daughter who is still wetting the bed. She’s embarrassed. We’re frustrated. I have tried not letting her have water before bedtime. She also goes to the bathroom right before bed. Now I am online doing research. I read on the Mayo Clinic site that sleep apnea can sometimes lead to bed wetting and to see a dentist. Have you heard of this problem?
Cynthia
Dear Cynthia,
That is a possible connection. When we are sleeping, our bodies put the urinary process on hold. I’m sure you’ve noticed how you can sleep all night and not need to go to the bathroom, but the moment you wake up you REALLY have to go. People who have sleep apnea wake up many times during the night. However, they are unaware of it occurring. Often, they wake up exhausted even though in their mind they have slept all night.
How Does Sleep Apnea Occur?
With sleep apnea, the tissues in the back of the patient’s mouth relax a little too much and either partially or fully block the air passage. Their body will startle them awake as a survival mechanism. This can happen hundreds of times a night without the patient being aware of the cycle.
It is a highly reasonable hypothesis that someone who is waking up, even for brief moments of time, will have their urinary mechanism kick into gear causing them to wet the bed. Then the child is back to sound asleep without even realizing that it is happening.
One of the ways of treating sleep apnea is with an orthotic device that they wear while they are sleeping. This adjusts their oral cavity by widening it so that the air passage is not blocked. Hence they are no longer startled awake and are less likely to deal with urination issues.
Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, though it does not mean they definitely have it. If your daughter snores, I would get a sleep study done to see if that is an issue. Talk to her pediatric dentist. If this turns out to be the problem, there is an orthotic device which works well with children. It’s called the Vivos System.
If she does not have sleep apnea, do not despair. Most children outgrow bed wetting in their teens at the latest. There are great discreet types of underwear children can wear these days, that look just like normal underwear but will protect them from embarrassing bed wetting moments at sleepovers and camps.
This blog is brought to you Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.
Click here to learn more about TMJ Disorder, another bite and jaw related issue.
