What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes your breathing to start and stop periodically when you sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your throat muscles relax, obstructing your airway and breathing. Treatment provided by the Ideal Dental of Tucson team can reduce sleep apnea symptoms to give you a better quality of life.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
The following signs and symptoms can indicate you have sleep apnea:
- Breathing that starts and stops
- Gasping for air during sleep
- Loud snoring
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- Morning headaches
- Problems staying asleep
- Irritability
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
See Ideal Dental of Tucson providers at the first sign of sleep apnea, other sleeping problems, or nighttime teeth grinding.
What are the risk factors for sleep apnea?
Anyone can develop sleep apnea, but certain factors boost your risk of experiencing it. Examples include being overweight, smoking, having a narrow airway, older age, being a man, nasal congestion, family history of sleep apnea, and using alcohol or sedatives.
How does my provider diagnose sleep apnea?
To determine if you have sleep apnea or oral health problems, Dr. Williams and his team review your oral health history and ask about your symptoms. They evaluate your mouth, throat, and breathing and might recommend you undergo a sleep study to determine the type and severity of sleep apnea you have.
What are my sleep apnea treatment options?
At Ideal Dental of Tucson, your provider offers a custom-fit oral appliance that keeps your throat and airway open while you sleep. Such devices are convenient and easy to use. They help move your jaw forward to reduce snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea.
See the Ideal Dental of Tucson team periodically to ensure your oral appliance still fits properly, and call the office if it gets lost or damaged. In more severe cases of sleep apnea, you might benefit from using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to keep airways open and get a better night’s sleep.
Don’t live with constant daytime drowsiness and other unpleasant symptoms of sleep apnea when a simple solution is available. Call Ideal Dental of Tucson for an appointment today or use the online scheduler.
