Sleep Apnea Treatment

Are you or someone you know struggling with heavy snoring and sleeplessness? If so, it is time for you to call your dentist and ask questions about possibly having a slight case of sleep apnea. Early warning signs often include snoring and sleep disturbances. There are many reasons why a patient could develop sleep apnea, so it is important to speak to your dentist.

Often one of the first signs of sleep apnea is grinding of the teeth. When you go in to see a dentist, they will look for worn tooth surfaces because this is a sign that a patient grinds his or her teeth, particularly while sleeping. Grinding, over time, will cause tooth wear and breakage as well as inflamed and receding gum lines in the patient. A sudden spike in the development of cavities can also be a tell-tale sign of grinding because the force will damage the teeth, making them susceptible to cavity-causing bacteria. Grinding is just one sign that a person is suffering from sleep apnea. Other signs can include having a small jaw, tongue with scalloped edges, or redness in the throat caused by snoring and snoring a lot.

Sleep apnea is a very common disorder in many people. Because it is so common – many people often times go untreated. Getting treatment for sleep apnea is very important to a person’s health because in the long run sleep apnea can have some major effects on a person’s health. Some symptoms to keep a look out for include:

– Waking up having a very sore or dry throat
– Loud snoring on a nightly basis
– Occasionally waking up throughout the night due to choking or gasping
– Sleepiness or having a lack of energy throughout the day
– Sleepiness while driving
– Morning headaches
– Restless sleep
– Forgetfulness, mood changes and/or a decreased interest in having sex
– Recurrent awakenings during the evening or insomnia

Positive Airway Pressure Devices: This is the most commonly used treatment option for patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea. When a patient sleeps, the mask is often times worn over the nose, or sometimes the nose and mouth both. The mask supplies pressurized and continuous air flow into the patient’s throat. The increased air pressure will prevent the patient’s airway from collapsing while they are asleep.

Oral Appliances: Oral appliances are worn in the mouth, just like a mouth guard for sports or an orthodontic retainer, while you sleep. Oral appliances will push and hold the lower jaw forward just enough to keep the airway open and prevent the tongue and muscles from collapsing and creating a blockage for the airway.

Finding the right sleep apnea treatment is very important because each person is very different in the way that they respond to therapy. Talking to a sleep apnea dentist will greatly help with sleep apnea and help find the right treatment. Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders is equipped with medical professionals that want to help you live a healthier and fuller life. Visit one of our locations near you for your sleep apnea treatment.