Do you struggle to get a full nights rest because you are struggling to breath while you sleep? This is called sleep apnea and can be damaging to your day to day life because of your lack of sleep, as well as lead to more serious health conditions. We can help you treat your sleep apnea in our Cary or Holly Springs dental office.
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What Is Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that is caused by a disruption in your normal breathing patterns while you sleep. This not only leads to the individual not getting a full nights rest, but it can also lead to more serious health issues. The disorder can results in lower amounts of oxygen within the blood because of the pauses of the 10 second pauses without breathing that the patients goes through while they sleep.
When discussing sleep apnea there are typically three different kinds of sleep apnea that are different from each other.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea – When the muscles in your throat relax while you sleep it makes it difficult to get adequate airflow as you sleep. One of the common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring.
- Central Sleep Apnea – Central sleep apnea happens when the brain periodically stops sending the correct signals to the muscles in your throat.
- Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome – A combination of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea that develops after a treatment is used in the past.
If you believe you suffer from sleep apnea, you can trust our Cary & Holly Springs dental professionals to help you find the best treatment option for you.
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea has a variety of different causes which can make it difficult to find the source of the disorder. The most common causes of sleep apnea in adults are excessive weight that causes an airway issues within the throat, dental issues such as enlarged tonsils or an overbite, as well as the overall structure of the mouth that could use restorative dentistry work.
Before sleep apnea treatment can begin, you must get an evaluation from a dental professional who has experience working with sleep apnea patients. Our Holly Springs & Cary family dentists have years of experience working with children as well as adults who suffer from sleep apnea.
Do I Have Sleep Apnea?
Since sleep apnea happens while you are sleeping it can be difficult to know for sure if you have sleep apnea. With over 22 million Americans who struggle with sleep apnea and many more that live with it undiagnosed, it is safe to say that sleep apnea is a possibility for many Americans.
There are a handful of symptoms that typically demonstrate that you may have sleep apnea. If you suffer from any of the below symptoms we recommend reaching out to us for sleep apnea treatment you can trust.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
- You snore excessively loud.
- You will occasionally wake up in the middle of the night with shortness of breath.
- You bed partner has heard you stop breathing or other unusual breathing patterns while you sleep.
- You will occasionally wake up gasping or chocking.
- You struggle from insomnia (trouble falling and staying asleep).
- You continuously will wake up with a sore throat and dry mouth.
- You have have low amounts of energy during the day.
You may have experienced a few of these symptoms in the past, but if they seem to be a routine thing then you may have sleep apnea. But we always recommend that you see a medical professional for your diagnosis as well as a dental professional for sleep apnea treatment options.
Risks of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea make it difficult to get a healthy amount of sleep which can drastically hinder everyday activities. This can impact your work life, personal life, as well as overall wellbeing. Along with this, sleep apnea has connections with increasing the chances of developing a a variety of other medical conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, irregular heat beat, diabetes, headaches, and other conditions.
Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
Sleep apnea has been studied a lot over recent years and treatment options have developed as well. Depending on the severity of the sleep apnea as well as the background of the patient, there are a variety of different treatment options available. Often times a sleep study will be recommended for more severe cases which allows the individual to be closely observed for 12 hours as they sleep. This allows for more accurate diagnoses but isn’t required for every patient.
Dental professionals can provide a variety of different treatment options for anyone who suffers from sleep apnea. Often times sleep apnea is caused because of the structure of the mouth, which can typically be fixed by working with one of our dental professionals if you live near Cary or Holly Springs.
Sleep Apnea Treatment For Children
Sleep apnea is more common in adults but still impacts children all around the world on a daily basis. One of the main focuses for children with sleep apnea is the difficult for them to focus during the day because of their inability to achieve a full sleep cycle. This lack of quality sleep has an impact on their education, mood, and overall well being.
Typically sleep apnea treatment for adults and children are relatively similar. Although children seem to have more sleep apnea caused by the structure of their mouth. It is more common for them to have large and inflamed tonsils as well as an untreated dental issues such as an overbite compared to adults. With their teeth still growing in and moving around it can sometimes cause the airway path to close slightly which causes the sleep apnea. This make it even more important to set up routine teeth cleaning checkups and appointments with a pediatric family dentist.
Schedule An Appointment For Sleep Apnea in Cary or Holly Springs
We offer sleep apnea treatment at both of our dentist office locations. Please fill out the form below or call one of our locations by clicking on the buttons below.
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