Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can be life-threatening. It’s caused by pauses in breathing while you sleep, which results in oxygen deprivation and poor quality of sleep. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, and stroke. If you experience any of the following symptoms at least three nights per week for more than one month—and especially if you have an answer of yes to any of them—you may need Dental Sleep Medicine:
Do you regularly feel tired, even after a full night’s sleep?
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can cause you to feel tired, even after a full night’s sleep. Sleep apnea occurs when your airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep, preventing you from breathing normally. This can lead to fragmented sleep and frequent awakenings—which in turn leave you feeling fatigued.
While the symptoms of untreated sleep apnea vary from person to person and even day to day, they’re often characterized by excessive daytime fatigue, snoring loud enough for others in the room to hear it (or more), gasping for breath at night while sleeping (also known as near-miss events), waking up with a dry mouth because you’ve been drooling due to reduced airflow through the throat or mouth during an incident of blocked breathing (also known as choking).
Do you sometimes wake up with a headache or sore throat?
Do you sometimes wake up with a headache or sore throat? If so, it might be due to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is an obstruction of the airway that causes shallow breathing during sleep. This can lead to snoring and interrupted sleep, which in turn can contribute to symptoms such as headaches and sore throats. Other common symptoms include dry mouth, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating or irritability and depression.
If you think you have sleep apnea and would like more information about how we can help you improve your sleep quality contact our office today!
Do you often feel sleepy during the day, especially after eating a meal or resting?
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can be life-threatening. People who have sleep apnea stop breathing multiple times while they’re asleep, often while they snore loudly, choke or gasp for air.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms and have noticed them in more than one of the following situations: after eating a meal or resting; when drinking alcohol; when you’re under stress or feeling anxious; when you’re congested from allergies or colds; then it’s likely that you may have sleep apnea.
Do you snore loudly?
Snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea, a condition where your throat muscles relax during sleep and cause you to stop breathing for short periods of time. If you snore loudly enough to wake yourself up or disturb your partner (or the neighbors), it could be a sign that there’s something wrong with how you’re breathing while sleeping.
If this sounds like you, make sure to schedule an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible—and if they do diagnose sleep apnea, they might prescribe medication or recommend lifestyle changes that could help ease symptoms.
Is your bed partner sometimes awakened by your loud snoring?
Snoring is a sign of sleep apnea, which can be a serious condition. But it’s not just a nuisance. Snoring is often accompanied by loud breathing, gasps and other sounds that wake up your bed partner. If you have sleep apnea, you might go through periods where you stop breathing in your sleep for 10 seconds or more at night — and then start up again with a loud snort or gasp.
It’s important to manage your snoring because it may mean that you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This causes the airway to get blocked during sleep when tissues in the back of the throat collapse and reduce airflow into the lungs. In some cases, this results in chronic fatigue and daytime drowsiness due to lack of oxygen—which over time can lead to serious health problems including heart attack or stroke!
Are you irritable, depressed or have difficulty concentrating?
Irritability, depression and difficulty concentrating are symptoms of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can be life-threatening if left untreated. The most effective treatment for sleep apnea is a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure). This device delivers steady levels of pressurized air into your throat while you sleep so that your airway remains open throughout the night. If any one of these symptoms seem to apply to you or someone you know, it’s important to talk with a doctor about possible causes and treatments right away.
Have you been told that you stop breathing during your sleep or that you gasp for air while sleeping?
If you’ve been told that you stop breathing during your sleep or that you gasp for air while breathing, it’s likely because of a condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Most people experience OSA at one time or another, but some have it so severely that they require medical attention.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), OSA is caused by the upper airway being blocked during sleep. This blockage prevents oxygen from reaching the lungs and brain. The NHLBI states that this blockage can happen for several reasons: “Too much tissue in our throat; narrow windpipe; weak muscles surrounding our windpipe; or a narrowed passage due to fatty tissue inside our neck.”
Have you had morning headaches, especially when associated with loud snoring or choking sounds during sleep?
You may be suffering from sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing repeatedly during your sleep cycle. If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and have experienced morning headaches or other symptoms associated with loud snoring or choking sounds during sleep, it’s time to have your doctor check for sleep apnea.
A variety of dental appliances can help treat obstructive sleep apnea by gently holding the jaw forward while you sleep so that it doesn’t collapse back into the throat and block airflow through the mouth and nose. If you suffer from severe forms of this condition, surgery may also be available as a treatment option.[1] [2]
Sleep Apnea May Impact Your Health in Other Ways
Sleep apnea isn’t just annoying—it can also cause serious health problems if left untreated. In fact, one study found that people with untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea were five times more likely to die than those without[3].
Taking the test: If you answered yes to any of these questions, talk to your doctor about Dental Sleep Medicine.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are using a CPAP machine, there is a good chance that you have tried all kinds of different masks and hoses in an attempt to find one that is comfortable enough to wear. While this method may work for some people, it’s not the only option available. A dental appliance can be more comfortable than a CPAP machine because it keeps your jaw in the right position, which helps prevent airway collapse.
If you don’t have sleep apnea but still feel like your morning breath smells bad, then consider getting tested for something called dry mouth syndrome (also known as xerostomia). Dry mouth means that there isn’t enough saliva in your mouth—and saliva contains bacteria-killing enzymes that keep bad breath at bay!
Sleep apnea is a serious condition and can be life-threatening.
> Sleep apnea is a serious condition and can be life-threatening.
> It’s when you stop breathing while you sleep, often for ten or more seconds at a time.
> That causes sleep deprivation and other problems, like high blood pressure and heart disease.
> If left untreated, it can lead to stroke or death.
Conclusion
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, talk to your doctor about Dental Sleep Medicine and find out if it’s right for you. It could save your life!
