919-682-5327 Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder particularly common in those over age 40. It causes snoring or moments of breathing cessation during the night.
Two types of sleep apnea include obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.
• Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when throat muscles simply relax. This is the most common form of sleep apnea.
• Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.
Common Symptoms:
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Loud snoring
• Episodes of breathing cessation during sleep witnessed by another person
• Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath
• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty staying asleep during the night
• Attention problems
Sleep apnea is treatable through oral appliances, lifestyle changes, home remedies, and alternative medicinal methods.
Sleep apnea can affect various areas of a person’s life and it is important to get it treated sooner rather than later.
Many dentists treat sleep apnea in their office through oral appliances that shift and support the jaw from collapsing. In particularly severe cases, dentists treat sleep apnea through upper airway surgery. This method is only used when other methods have proven unsuccessful.
If you experience symptoms listed above and think you may have sleep apnea, speak with your dentist about treatment options today.