If you wonder if sleep apnea is impacting your life, check out this informative blog from Dental Care 4U in South Holland.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which the tissue at the back of the throat obstructs the airways. This is caused by the relaxation of the muscles that support the soft palate, uvula (the small tissue flap hanging from the soft palate), tonsils, side walls of the throat, and the tongue. When these muscles relax, the airway becomes narrower or even closes while breathing, making it hard to get enough air and possibly reducing the oxygen level in the blood.
Sleep apnea is usually recognizable by loud snoring, periods when someone stops breathing while asleep (which can be noticed by another person), struggling for breath during sleep, waking up with a dry mouth, morning headaches, having trouble staying asleep (insomnia), extreme drowsiness during the day (hypersomnia), difficulty focusing when awake, and being easily annoyed.
Is Sleep Apnea Impacting My Life?
If you experience any of the following, sleep apnea may be affecting your enjoyment of life and productivity:
- Daytime Sleepiness: The repeated interruptions in sleep can prevent a person from getting adequate rest, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness. This can cause difficulties in staying awake and alert during the day, making it challenging to concentrate and perform daily tasks effectively.
- Cognitive Impairment: Sleep apnea can impair cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and decision-making abilities. This can affect a person’s productivity at work or school and hinder their ability to learn and retain information.
- Fatigue and Lack of Energy: Sleep apnea can leave individuals feeling tired and drained, even after a full night’s sleep. This lack of energy can make it challenging to engage in physical activities, leading to a sedentary lifestyle and decreased overall productivity.
- Mood Disorders: Sleep apnea has been linked to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. The chronic sleep deprivation and disturbances can affect emotional well-being, making it harder to cope with stress, regulate emotions, and maintain healthy relationships.
- Reduced Productivity and Work Performance: Sleep apnea can negatively impact work productivity due to difficulties in concentration, impaired memory, and decreased cognitive abilities. It can also lead to more frequent sick days and accidents in the workplace.
- Increased Risk of Accidents: Daytime sleepiness resulting from sleep apnea increases the risk of accidents, both on the road and in the workplace. Individuals with untreated sleep apnea have a higher likelihood of falling asleep while driving or operating heavy machinery, which poses a significant safety risk.
- Health Complications: Untreated sleep apnea is associated with several health issues, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. These health complications can further diminish productivity and quality of life.
It is crucial for individuals experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea, such as loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, and morning headaches, to seek medical evaluation and treatment. Effective treatment options, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, oral appliances, and lifestyle modifications, can significantly improve sleep quality, restore daytime functioning, and enhance productivity.
Sleep Apnea Can Be Addressed By Your Dentist
While some specialists may recommend a positive airway pressure device or a CPAP machine to address sleep apnea, the truth of the matter is that these treatments are not always the best options for everyone. Some people with sleep apnea are not able to use CPAP machines. Surgery as a treatment option can be too invasive to consider.
Fortunately, the experts at Dental Care 4U in South Holland can provide patients with oral appliances to address sleep apnea. As a convenient option for treating sleep apnea, our practice can provide oral appliances to help you get a better night’s sleep. We offer multiple options for sleep apnea oral devices, including:
- Mandibular Advancement Devices: These devices attach to the upper and lower teeth to move the jaw and tongue forward and can be customized to fit the patient’s teeth, reducing snoring and daytime sleepiness.
- Tongue-Stabilizing Devices: Tongue-stabilizing devices work to pull the tongue forward using suction and keep the tongue from blocking the airways.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion Devices: Rapid maxillary expansion devices are orthodontic devices that expand the roof of the mouth to open the airways. These involve wearing a custom-fitted expander to fit over the top back teeth and using pressure to correct arched palates in children.
Choose A Good Night’s Sleep With Dental Care 4U
If you’re ready for dentistry with a gentle touch at a practice that feels just like home, consider Dental Care 4U. Dr. Raj Khurana and the team have been operating Dental Care 4U for over 20 years, and are proud to offer the very best South Holland, IL and the surrounding communities. We always work with a gentle touch, so whether you need a root canal, tooth extraction, or orthodontic treatment, we will be here for you and your loved ones. Call us today at 708-333-2213 for an appointment.
