Sleep Apnea
When snoring gets serious
Has your bed become a nightly battleground between you and your partner? Does one of you snore so loudly and frequently that it’s affecting not only your quality of sleep, but your quality of life and your health? You may be one of millions of Americans suffering from sleep apnea, and you might not even know it.
What is sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA is a common and dangerous sleep disorder that is largely underdiagnosed because symptoms are mostly present during sleep. Sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissues in the back of the throat collapse during sleep, obstructing the airway, and making it difficult to breathe properly.
Do I have sleep apnea?
Signs and symptoms of sleep apnea (mostly occurring at night) include:
- Loud, frequent snoring
- Choking or gasping for air
- Breathing disruptions
- Frequent sleep disruptions
- Frequent urination
- Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue
- Chronic dry mouth or throat
- Headaches or migraines
- Depression, irritability, mood swings
- Weight gain
- Insomnia, nightmares
What’s the big deal?
While sleep disruption and snoring may not seem like all that big of a deal, when it occurs night after night, sleep apnea can have serious consequences for your health. Sleep is the only time that the body can repair itself – if you are never truly able to find restful sleep, your health will begin a slow downward spiral. Sleep apnea not only affects your quality of sleep and quality of life during the day, but can drastically increase your risk for developing systemic diseases like:
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
Treatment
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have been unsuccessful with CPAP treatment, we would love to speak with you about sleep apnea treatment at Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry®. We may be able to fit you with a custom oral appliance that you wear like a mouth guard during sleep, that gently shifts the bottom jaw forward to prevent the airway from collapsing, allowing you to breathe comfortably throughout the night. Oral appliance therapy can give you back your nights, your days, your health, and your life!
If you have any questions about sleep apnea, or would like to reserve a consultation for an oral appliance to treat your sleep apnea with your Bolivia dentist or Oak Island dentist – Dr. Wilharm, Dr. Harrington, Dr. Miller, Dr. Hohl, Dr. Dobransky, Dr. Strubin, or Dr. Hoover – please contact us at Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry® today.
