Patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) usually suffer from teeth grinding, also, especially male Caucasians. According to "CHEST 2009," the 75th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), nearly one in every four OSA sufferers grinds his/her teeth at night. White males make up most of this number. It is also estimated that 8% of the U.S. population grind their teeth at night.
Factors that may help explain the correlation between sleep apnea and bruxism include anxiety and caffeine intake. Untreated bruxism can lead to tooth wear and tear, tooth decay, gum disease, jaw pain, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD/TMJ), headaches and sleep disturbances for the sleep apneic and his/her partner.
Untreated sleep apnea can cause a whole host of health problems including:
Hypertension
Diabetes
Mood swings
Anxiety
Depression
Heart disease
Stroke
Memory problems
Concentration problems
Daytime fatigue
Insomnia
If you suffer from snoring, sleep apnea, teeth grinding at night, or anything else associated with disruption in your breathing cycle during the night, an experienced sleep apnea dentist can explain the many treatment options to you and evaluate your case.
If you live in the Illinois area, please contact Dr. Ira Shapira today to schedule a thorough evaluation.
Obstructive sleep apnea affects around 20 million Americans and can lead to hypertension, heart attack, stroke, depression, muscle pain, fibromyalgia, morning headaches, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
-
Patient describes 5 years of sleep apnea treatment with oral appliance. He initially used the CPAP machine but found it made him uncomfortab...
-
Mike describes how he was diagnosed with sleep apnea. He was less than thrilled with diagnosis and definitely did not want CPAP. He travels...
-
Lake Forest Sleep Apnea Treatment: Sleep Apnea patient describes how wearing a sleep apnea appliance for the last 6-7 years has drastic...