Sleep Apnea Treatment
Warrenton Dentist
Sleep apnea is a condition that can be caused by various health problems. When someone has sleep apnea, breathing stops frequently throughout the night. Breathing is essential to life; we have to breathe to release carbon dioxide and take in oxygen. When you aren’t breathing in enough oxygen, you may become dizzy or light-headed or feel out of breath. Someone who has sleep apnea may stop breathing hundreds of times in one sleep cycle. Sleep apnea has also shown to shorten one’s lifespan because overtime it can cause organ failure due to lack of oxygen. Because of this, it’s important to treat your sleep apnea quickly and effectively.
Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The cause of obstructive sleep apnea has everything to do with the airway: specifically whether it is free of blockage when a person lies down to sleep. Airway blockage can be caused by:
- Genetics
- Poor posture when sleeping
- Spinal column problems
- Allergies
- Enlarged tongue, tonsils, and/or adenoids
- Fat deposits in the neck and throat
A blocked airway causes the patient to struggle for breath, which can lead to snoring and interrupted sleep.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
If you think you may have sleep apnea, consider the following symptoms:
- Loud snoring that lasts all night
- Daytime sleepiness no matter how much sleep you get
- Feeling tired and out of breath upon waking
- Morning headaches
- Gasping or choking while sleeping
- Pauses in breathing while sleeping
Treatment of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is highly treatable. We will work with your physician to help determine an effective treatment method, which may include a CPAP or oral airway appliance. 
We can create a custom oral appliance which is worn at night and works to move the jaw forward thereby increasing the size of the airway. These oral appliances work to treat sleep apnea and are effective at stopping snoring.
What are the benefits of treating sleep apnea?
Beyond the already well-known benefits of sleep apnea treatment, like providing improved sleep and energy levels, treatment can ultimately improve your overall health by:
- Lowering blood pressure
- Reducing diabetic complications
- Improving glucose control
- Reducing the potential risk for heart attack, stroke and heart disease
- Improving daytime energy and stamina
- Relieving excess stress on the heart and vascular system
Related Articles on Sleep Apnea
If my partner snores loudly, should I be concerned and what can be done to alleviate the problem? Why does my sleeping partner have lapses in breathing while sleeping and is it dangerous? Why do I wake up exhausted even though I get up to 10 hours of sleep at night? The answers to these and other questions — and how dentistry can help — are all revealed within… Read Article
Snoring is annoying to those who have to listen to it, but it can also signal a serious health condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Individuals with OSA experience significant airflow disruption during sleep, which in turn can cause a variety of health problems. Learn what to look for and how your dentist can help… Read Article
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