Sleep apnea is not very well know, but it affects millions of people worldwide. You may have heard it mentioned maybe once or twice, but what is it exactly? To put it plainly, sleep apnea is a medical condition where your breathing stops several times in a single night due. This is caused by a blockage in your airway, which is the passage through which air flows into your lungs. An alarming thing about this is that it can happen at least 20 to 30 times in an hour as you sleep.

What most people don’t know is that sleep apnea can be treated. What surprises people even more is that the expert that can help with sleep apnea is not just any doctor but rather a dentist. Read on below for more information about sleep apnea.

More About Sleep Apnea

As mentioned above, sleep apnea occurs when your breathing stops as you sleep. However, that’s not all there is to sleep apnea. During an episode of sleep apnea, the oxygen levels in your blood drop and carbon dioxide builds up. When this happens, a rise in your blood pressure is triggered, which can startle your body and cause you to wake up to restart proper breathing. This waking moment is so short, people with sleep apnea often have no idea that it’s happening.

On a semi-related note, snoring is often related to sleep apnea. For this reason, if someone tells you that you snore loudly while you sleep, it’s best to get yourself checked.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Specific people are more prone to sleep apnea than others. These are:

 

  • More prevalent in men
  • Over 40 years of age
  • Smokers
  • Overweight people
  • People with large tonsils yet having small jaws
  • Family history of sleep apnea (hereditary)

Like many disorders, sleep apnea also has symptoms that can make matters worse. Symptoms include:

  • Mood swings
  • Daytime sleepiness
  • Bad cases of morning headaches
  • Sudden waking during nighttime
  • Difficulty in concentrating
  • Mood swings

Types of Sleep Apnea

Yes, there’s more than one type of sleep apnea, and many people don’t know about them, either. These are:

  • Obstructive – This is the most common form of the disorder. It’s where you have difficulty breathing during sleep, and you suddenly wake up at night.
  • Central – This is caused by a disruption in brain signals when it comes to breathing. 
  • Complex – A form of sleep apnea that combines the other two conditions. Someone with complex sleep apnea deals with an obstructed airway and disruptive brain signals.

How a Dentist Can Help With Sleep Apnea

As mentioned earlier, your dentist can help you treat your sleep apnea. During sleep apnea episodes, you might grind your teeth without knowing. This is because teeth grinding is a stress response in your body as a result of being startled awake. The body also thinks of this as a way to increase muscle strength in the jaw. When your jaw clamps down, it helps to prevent your airway from being blocked.

Below are some other indicators that your dentist might look out for:

  • Large tongue and tonsils
  • Large neck
  • Small jawbones
  • Redness of the throat (due to snoring)

The best treatment that dentists will offer is a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). The MAD resembles a mouth guard used in sports. It’s designed to gently keep your lower jaw in a forward position to help open your airway. Some MAD devices also prevent your tongue from falling back over your windpipe.

If you choose not to treat your sleep apnea, it will only make things worse for you in the long run. Untreated sleep apnea can contribute to high blood pressure, brain injury, diabetes, and heart attacks.

Conclusion

Sleep apnea should not be dismissed, as it can result in grave consequences in the long run. If you have sleep apnea, don’t ignore it and instead get yourself checked. A dentist can help you beat sleep apnea, and your life will be easier if you do.

Sleep apnea is not something you should ignore. Luckily, dentists can help. If you’re looking for the best dentists in Edmonton, Edmonton Smiles is the dental clinic for you! We offer general dental services and sleep apnea treatments. Contact us today for a consultation!

Posted in Sleep Apnea