Are you tired of feeling like you haven’t slept well in the last month or so? It’s been an ongoing feeling of fatigue and restlessness that you just can’t put your finger on. After all, you have been laying down at the same time every night, but you still feel like you’re missing critical sleep.
If this scenario sounds familiar, you may have sleep apnea. Your dentist is here to explain that the best way to get past your sleeping disorder is to receive sleep apnea therapy from your local dental expert.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes patients to briefly have pauses in their breathing or very shallow breaths while you sleep. These pauses can last from just a few seconds all the way to minutes, which poses a huge risk to your health.
Believe it or not, your breathing pattern can stop and start anywhere from 20 to 30 times in a single hour! Your breathing typically starts again with a loud snort or choking sound, but here are some of the other common symptoms:
- Frequent snoring
- Silent pauses in breathing
- Choking or gasping sounds
- Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
- Insomnia
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty focusing
- Decreased sex drive
- Irritability
How Can a Dentist Help with Sleep Apnea?
Believe it or not, there are actually a few links between your teeth and sleep. One of them being that the shape of the jaws and arrangement of teeth, which are reasons to seek dental or orthodontic treatment, can also predict the risk of sleep apnea and snoring. There are a few dental appliances that are effective treatments for both snoring and sleep apnea. There’s a reason that your dentist asks you about your sleep habits or whether you snore.
What Can a Dentist Do for Sleep Apnea?
Most cases of sleep apnea are caused by an obstruction of the airway. When your airway is blocked, it’s difficult for your body to get the appropriate amounts of oxygen as explained above. That’s why many dentists offer a mouthguard also known as an oral appliance. Patients suffering from sleep apnea tend to sleep better because their airways are kept open from the appliance throughout the night.
Why do I need to seek treatment immediately?
One of the most threatening after effects of sleep apnea is sleep deprivation. Since sleep apnea interrupts the important REM stage of your sleep, patients can suffer from sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can have several consequences including memory problems, trouble concentrating and mood disturbances. It can even increase your chances of being in an accident while driving.
Seeking sleep apnea therapy in Bloomfield Hills should improve your overall quality of life, mood, relationships, and general health. It all starts with a single phone call to your dentist!
About Our Office
Cranbrook Dental Care has opened its doors to the local community to serve excellent dental services, helping to improve the quality of patient’s lives. Our office has worked hard to offer only the highest quality dental services for every patient in our practice through several generations of their families. If you would like to speak to one of our dental experts, feel free to call our Bloomfield Hills office.
