When Snoring
Gets Serious

Do you or your partner snore so loudly and frequently that it’s affecting not only your quality of sleep but also causing tension in your relationship? While a lack of sleep can make anyone cranky, the implications of chronic snoring may go much deeper than you realize. Chronic snoring is one of the most common signs of sleep apnea – a common and dangerous sleep disorder affecting millions of American adults. Untreated sleep apnea can increase your risk for serious health problems. So, what does this have to do with your dentist?

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What is sleep apnea?

There are several different types of sleep apnea, but the one we would like to address today with your Hillcrest dentist is Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissues in the back of the throat collapse during sleep, which blocks the airway and prevents the sufferer from breathing properly throughout the night. The lack of airflow causes a lack of oxygen to the brain and the rest of the body and can cause serious health problems and even death.

Signs & Symptoms

Some common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include (most of which occur at night):

Loud, chronic snoring
Choking or gasping for air
Frequent sleep disruptions
Frequent urination
Morning dry mouth
Morning headaches & migraines
Insomnia or nightmares
Depression & anxiety
Daytime drowsiness
Chronic fatigue
High blood pressure
Night sweats
Decreased libido

Risk Factors

Here are some of the most common factors that put you at higher risk for developing sleep apnea:

Male
Overweight
Over age 40
Narrow airway
Alcohol consumption
Smoking
Use of sedatives
Hypertension
Chronic nasal congestion
Diabetes
Asthma
Family history

Complications & Health Risks

Left untreated, sleep apnea can have a serious impact on your overall health and quality of life. Some of the consequences of untreated sleep apnea include:

Low blood oxygen levels
Cardiovascular disease
Hypertension
Coronary artery disease
Heart attack

Heart failure
Stroke
Arrhythmia
Diabetes
Glaucoma

Metabolic syndrome
Depression
Anxiety
Even death

As you can see, while snoring may seem like a fairly trivial problem, it may be a sign that something more serious is going on, and is worth consulting your doctor or your Hillcrest dentist to seek diagnosis and treatment.

Sleep Apnea Treatment

Traditional sleep apnea treatment involves a CPAP machine. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure and is a machine that you wear at night that manually pushes air in and out of your lungs. While CPAP machines are still “the gold standard” for sleep apnea treatment, many patients find the device intolerable because it is loud, bulky and invasive and prevents the user from finding restful sleep. Kind of defeats the purpose, don’t you think?

TAP® into Better Sleep

Thankfully, there is a less invasive, more modern solution with oral appliance therapy. Oral appliance therapy uses a small oral device, similar to a mouthguard, that you wear during sleep. The device gently shifts the lower jaw forward, preventing the airway from collapsing and allowing the patient to breathe comfortably throughout the night.

At Complete Dental Health, we use TAP® Sleep Care from Airway Management to effectively treat a full spectrum of sleep-disordered breathing, offering a holistic, intelligent approach to sleep apnea treatment.

There is no longer a need to carry a bulky CPAP machine with you when you travel, and no need to settle for invasive surgery to treat your sleep apnea. Treat your sleep apnea the smart way with Dr. Collins at Complete Dental Health to take control of your nights and your days today, and your healthy future.

Come smile with us!

If you have any questions about sleep apnea or would like to schedule a consultation with your San Diego dentist, Dr. Timothy Collins at Complete Dental Health, give us a call today or schedule a visit online!

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