Breathing Easy: How Dentists Can Help Treat Sleep Apnea
If you didn’t know already, (OSA) can be managed with help from our Plantation, FL, dentists. It’s true, especially if you have been diagnosed with a mild to moderate version. After a thorough assessment, we can work to prevent breathing interruptions during the night with personalized sleep apnea treatment tailored only to you.
Here’s inside our office as well as some background on this disorder.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common condition in which an individual’s breathing temporarily stops and starts again while sleeping. In some cases, this can be serious and put the individual at increased risk for health complications like high blood pressure, heart problems, and stroke.
Constantly waking due to inconsistent breathing can lead to overall fatigue even after a full night’s rest. This can mean feeling sluggish and generally unproductive throughout the day. For many, these symptoms can disrupt daily life and negatively affect personal relationships.
If you regularly have low energy despite a good sleep schedule, talk to our local sleep apnea dentists. We can explain next steps, like how you can first get diagnosed by your primary care doctor, and if oral appliance therapy would be beneficial over traditional CPAP. We can develop a custom sleep apnea appliance for you to wear and refer you to a sleep apnea specialist if needed.
How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?
Since there are multiple , symptoms can often overlap and complicate a precise diagnosis. However, there are several indicators related to sleep apnea that you, or a family member, should pay attention to and keep in mind.
Consult with a physician if you:
- Snore loudly
- Have been told by another person that you frequently stop breathing during sleep or experience episodes of teeth grinding or clenching
- Gasp for air when sleeping
- Wake up with a dry mouth or headache
- Have a hard time staying asleep or staying awake
- Feel irritable after you’ve woken up
Depending on the type of sleep apnea you have and its severity, treatment at our Plantation, FL, dental office can differ. Sometimes lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms while other times, a special appliance, or mandibular advancement device (MAD), needs to be made to prevent throat blockage.
Will I Ever Develop Sleep Apnea?
There are several risk factors that can increase your chances of developing obstructive sleep apnea. It’s worth noting that while these are common, having just one of these risk factors does not mean you have the condition. You will need to be properly screened to know for sure.
That said, one significant factor is obesity, as excess weight can lead to the accumulation of fat deposits in the throat, narrowing the airway. Other common risk factors include:
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Thicker neck circumference
- Smoking
- Alcohol or sedative use
- Being male
- Age (more common in middle-aged and older individuals)
Additionally, certain anatomical features like a narrow throat or enlarged tonsils and adenoids can contribute to OSA. Recognizing these risk factors is essential for early identification and management of sleep apnea.
How Can Oral Appliance Therapy Help Me?
When we create a sleep apnea oral appliance for you, it’s going to be tailored specifically to your dental anatomy. Unlike over-the-counter , these devices are precision-fitted to ensure proper jaw positioning and a secure fit throughout the night. This personalized approach is a major reason why many patients who have struggled with CPAP find success with oral appliance therapy.
Simple in design, these devices hold your jaw slightly forward, helping to prevent airway collapse and reduce snoring and apneic episodes. Many patients find that this type of treatment for sleep apnea feels less invasive, is easier to travel with, and is far more sustainable for nightly use. Sleep apnea treatment from the dentist should fit into your life, not get in the way.
Schedule an Appointment
All hope is not lost with a sleep apnea diagnosis. Fortunately, our dentists in Plantation serving Greater Fort Lauderdale, FL, can help you navigate treatment alongside a family doctor. Call Barr Dental Group today at (954) 327-7400 to request an appointment.
This blog post has been updated.