What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common disorder when you have one or more pauses in your breathing during the night, or when pauses in your nighttime breathing cause you to maintain shallow breathing instead of the deep breathing that comes with restful sleep. Sleep apnea is common and potentially dangerous problem with multiple side effects. It constantly disrupts your sleep and causes fatigue and the health problems associated with fatigue.
Signs that you might have sleep apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Abrupt waking with shortness of breath
- Waking with dry mouth or sore throat
- Fatigue
- Daytime drowsiness
- Morning headaches
- Irritability
- Attention problems
- Higher rate of accidents.
Sleep Apnea & Your Health
Sleep Apnea can be a chronic condition and bring about other health concerns. Pauses in sleep can be as frequent as 30 times or more an hour. Because sleep apnea is keeping you in lighter sleep or waking you regularly through the night, your productivity decreases, as does your mental sharpness. Also sleep apnea sufferers tend to suffer from drowsiness and lowers your energy. Some studies show it can shorten lifespan by 12-15 years. Other health problems may be:
- Heat Problems
- High Blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- High Cholesterol
- Stroke
- Weight gain
Your Dentist and Sleep Apnea
Do you know that your dentist can help you with sleep apnea? If you are suffering from signs of sleep apnea you can talk to your dentist. Dr. Denison has special training to work with and understand sleep apnea. After receiving a doctor diagnosis Dr. Denison can help you with your sleep apnea treatment. If your sleep apnea is mild the dentist can fit you with an acrylic mouthguard that helps to reposition the tongue and jaw. Dr. Denison is very skilled in sleep apnea behavior modification and appliances. In more severe cases of sleep apnea a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system may be needed. A CPAP is a device that uses a mask to deliver air during the night and applies constant pressure to keep the airway open.
If you or someone you know suffers from sleep apnea you can contact us at 757-873-9000 for a consultation. Our dentist is trained in the treatment of sleep apnea and ready to help you find your restful sleep again.
