How Do Dentists Treat Sleep Apnea?

Patients who are dissatisfied with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device and reluctant to undergo surgery for sleep apnea might find relief for the debilitating effects of this sleep disorder by visiting a dentist. If you suffer from interrupted breathing during sleep caused by obstruction of the airway, a qualified sleep apnea dentist can evaluate your health and recommend treatment options.

Though your dentist’s recommendation will vary based on the unique circumstances of your condition, a common sleep apnea treatment involves the use of a specially made oral appliance. Oral appliances come in many different forms and serve many different functions to help keep your airway open during sleep and alleviate the severity of sleep apnea, including:

• Holding the jaw forward
• Realigning the bite
• Repositioning soft tissue like the tongue or soft palate
• Holding the tongue forward
• Strengthening the tongue to keep it from sagging and obstructing the airway

When selecting a dentist to treat sleep apnea, be sure the provider has extensive knowledge of apnea and other sleep-related breathing disorders in order to get informed diagnosis and treatment options. It’s also imperative for the effectiveness of the oral appliance that the device be fitted properly to match the unique structure of your mouth.

Once your oral appliance is in place, maintain an appointment with your dentist at least every six months for the first year of sleep apnea treatment to ensure the functionality of the device and make sure it fits properly within your mouth.

To find out more about potential dental solutions for sleeping disorders, please contact asleep apnea dentist in your area or call 1-866-727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today.

What Snoring Could Say about Your Blood Pressure

The only time most healthy people receive a blood pressure reading is at their yearly checkup at the doctor's office. But snoring and other breathing problems during sleep can be a symptom of a very serious medical condition: sleep apnea. If you are snoring at night, it’s important to contact a sleep doctor to begin receiving diagnosis and treatment.

You might not even be aware that you’re snoring until your significant other or housemate in an adjoining room complains about the noise. Loud snoring is an indication that your airway is being obstructed during sleep.

While occasional snoring is normal and non-harmful, snoring every night could be one of the earliest indicators that you’re suffering from sleep apnea, a condition where breathing becomes interrupted during sleep. One of the many serious symptoms of sleep apnea is diminished oxygen content in the blood, which can increase the risk of high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, medically known as hypertension, is another serious medical condition that makes the heart work harder to pump blood throughout the body. High blood pressure can be asymptomatic in its early stages, making it hard for patients with the disorder to know when to seek treatment. However, regular appointments with your doctor can help track your blood pressure so it doesn’t reach critical levels.

Early detection might reduce your risk of potentially serious complications such as:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Diminished kidney function
• Damage to blood vessels in the eyes
• Cognitive impairment affecting memory and learning abilities.

If you’re snoring at night, please contact a sleep doctor in your area or call 1-866-727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today to schedule a blood pressure evaluation and learn about steps for treating sleep apnea.

Childhood Sleep Apnea Linked to Later Behavior Issues, Study Says

The medical journal Pediatrics recently published a statistical analysis of childhood sleep patterns that indicated children as young as six months old who experience sleep apnea symptoms are at significant risk of exhibiting behavioral problems as they develop. If you think your child is suffering from a sleep disorder, it’s important to explore sleep apnea treatment sooner than later to encourage healthy growth.

Children need significantly more sleep than adults to stay alert and retain optimal health. By obstructing the airway and making sufferers wake up, however briefly, to catch their breath, apnea and other sleep disorders can interrupt your good night’s rest hundreds of times per night, depending on severity.

Kids with sleep apnea can suffer not only from the established health risks of the disorder but mental and emotional effects from insufficient sleep as well. The developmental impact of sleep apnea on children can manifest as:

• Emotional imbalance
• Difficulty coping with stress, possibly leading to frequent crying or temper tantrums
• Short attention spans, impulsiveness and hyperactivity
• Poor performance in school due to inability to concentrate, lack of engagement or unmanageable behavior

If any of these effects remind you of your child’s behavior, keep an eye out for sleep apnea symptoms such as:

• Loud, persistent snoring (can occur in children as well as adults)
• Tossing and turning in bed
• Breathing through the mouth
• Night sweats
• Frequent nighttime urination (for children, this could mean bedwetting)
• Difficulty waking up and getting out of bed for school or other activities
• Stunted growth compared to peers

To find out more about sleep apnea treatments for children and adults, please contact a sleep doctor in your area or call 1-866-727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today.

What Causes Snoring?

Most people think of snoring as an auditory nuisance, but it can pose a serious health risk to the sleeper if left untreated. If you snore, it’s important to talk to a physician specializing in sleep disorders who can examine your health and suggest snoring treatment options.

In terms of basic anatomy, snoring can occur when your airway becomes obstructed during sleep. The unpleasant sound that often accompanies snoring is actually an audible vibration emanating from the sleeper’s soft palate and uvula (respectively the soft tissue on the roof of the mouth and the punching bag-like structure at the back of the throat) as he/she struggles to inhale.

There are multiple reasons why your airway could be obstructed at night. Common causes of snoring include:

• Consistently sleeping on your back
• Being overweight or obese
• Asthma, seasonal allergies and other disorders or conditions that inflame the bronchial tubes
• Alcohol or tobacco use
• Some prescription and over the counter medications, including sleep aids and cold or allergy drugs
• Irregular structures in the airway, such as enlarged tonsils or a deviated septum

Heavy snoring can also be one of the early symptoms of sleep apnea, a dangerous disorder that interrupts breathing (and, consequently, decreases the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream) during sleep. Much like snoring, sleep apnea can result from blockage impeding the movement of breath in the airway.

There are a number of risk factors for developing sleep apnea, so it’s important to consult a sleep physician in your area right away to find out what’s making you snore and discuss potential treatments.

If you’re seeking a snoring treatment to ensure you and your housemates can enjoy a quiet night’s sleep, please contact a local sleep doctor or call 1-866-727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today to schedule your initial evaluation.

How Sleep Apnea Affects Blood Pressure

Sleep apnea can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, medically known as hypertension. If you’re seeking sleep apnea treatment and also suffer from high blood pressure, a sleep physician can help assess your condition and determine options for recovering your health and your rest.

Blood pressure measurements consist of two numbers: systolic and diastolic. The systolic level measures blood pressure within arteries when the heart beats, while diastolic measures artery pressure when the heart is at rest. Blood pressure is defined as follows:

• Systolic below 120 and diastolic below 80 (measured in millimeters of mercury, or mm Hg) is normal
• 140-159 systolic or 80-89 diastolic is a warning sign of high blood pressure, also called prehypertension
• Systolic over 140 mm Hg or diastolic over 100 mm Hg is considered high blood pressure, with higher measurements representing increased risk to your health

By obstructing breathing, sleep apnea can drastically reduce oxygen levels within the blood during sleep. In addition to putting stress on the heart and the rest of the cardiovascular system, less oxygen in the blood also increases the risk of high blood pressure.

However, the fluctuation in oxygen levels caused by sleep apnea is just one element that can contribute to the risk of hypertension. Other risk factors include:

• Unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol consumption or smoking
• Stress
• Genetic predisposition to high blood pressure
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes

Because of the potential complications, it’s important to seek treatment for high blood pressure as soon as possible. Your doctor might recommend sleep apnea treatment, lifestyle changes or other options customized to the unique circumstances concerning your health.

To learn more about sleep apnea treatment options, please contact a sleep doctor in your area or call 1-866-727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today to schedule an initial evaluation.

FAA Hoping to Ground Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In an effort to keep fatigued flyers out of the cockpit, the Federal Aviation Administration is pursuing a new policy that will require obese pilots to undergo testing and, if applicable, treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Obesity is one of the most common risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea, and both conditions can represent a serious risk to your health. 

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI, a measurement comparing patient bodily mass to height and weight to determine body fat percentage) of 30 or higher. Patients suffering from obesity might also see the development of a “spare tire” or “pot belly” around the midsection. 

You might observe weight gain well before you notice sleep apnea symptoms, or even realize you’re suffering from a sleep disorder. In addition to increasing the risk of sleep apnea, obesity can lead to the development of a wide variety of other major health problems in multiple areas of the body, including:

• Cardiovascular: Increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke
• Liver: Fat buildup can cause inflammation and scarring
• Mental/mood: Depression, stress about health and appearance, social anxiety
• Sexual: Erectile dysfunction, fertility problems, impotence, etc.
• Skin: Poor regeneration and prolonged healing time after injury
• Serious illnesses: Increased risk of diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, etc.

Obstructive sleep apnea shares some of the same complications as obesity, making it extremely important to seek treatment as soon as possible. The sleep apnea treatment your doctor recommends can vary based on the unique characteristics of your health, with possible options ranging from diet and exercise to an oral appliance that keeps your airway open and functional during sleep. 

If you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, please contact a qualified sleep physician in your area or call 1-866-727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today. 

Why Deal with Sleep Apnea before the Holidays?

The holidays are nearly upon us and extended time with friends and family is just around the corner. This time of year allows us to maintain and build new traditions while enjoying the company of those we love, but if you suffer from sleep apnea, it may also bring increased anxiety.

Your sleep apnea symptoms may be something those you live with are used to, but if you are expecting visitors or visiting someone else this holiday season, loud snoring and other sleep disruptions may be an issue. This is why it is best to explore your treatment options now, allowing you to find one that is suitable before The Holidays.

To find a sleep apnea physician in your area, please visit our sleep physician locator or call 866.727.6275 today to find a sleep apnea dentist.

Treating Sleep Apnea

There are a number of noninvasive sleep apnea treatments that are both discrete and easy to travel with. Your sleep apnea physician or dentist may recommend thing such as a snore guard which can be worn at night to significantly reduce your sleep apnea symptoms. They may also recommend limiting alcohol intake and making sure to remain active through walks and other forms of exercise that can easily be enjoyed with family and friends.

If you are suffering from sleep apnea, please contact a sleep doctor in your area to schedule your pre-Holiday treatment evaluation.