People may joke about their significant other snoring bulldozer. Some folks may say they’re as tired as the dead. But sleep disturbances and overwhelming fatigue affect your ability to function properly, and impact your overall health and wellness. It isn’t necessary to simply tolerate sleep troubles, whether in yourself or your significant other. Sleep apnea could very well be at the heart of your sleep problems, and your dentist’s sleep apnea treatment in Red Bank, NJ, can help.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
A chronic and serious health condition, sleep apnea occurs during sleep and can cause a person to pause while breathing or create shallow breath. The pauses in breath can last for seconds or even minutes before a person returns to a normal breathing pattern, and this disruption can be jarring, moving a person out of deep sleep. Even though sleep apnea may not wake you, being moved into a lighter sleep interferes with the quality of sleep that you’re able to get.
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Why Is Interrupted Sleep So Problematic?
Besides feeling like a zombie from day to day because you’re not getting a good night’s sleep, the act of resting your body fully every night is restorative to your entire system. Your body needs rest to stay healthy, to have the energy to be active, eat well, and maintain your daily schedule of responsibilities.
The absence of good sleep takes a tool on your heart and brain, which both work incredibly hard all of the time, especially during your waking hours. These organs need restorative sleep. Some studies have linked poor sleep quality to cardiovascular problems like heart attacks and strokes, as well as age-related diseases like diabetes and hypertension.
Ultimately, sleep apnea is a condition that is the result of obstructed breathing during sleep, and the absence of normal breathing patterns can be dangerous and potentially even fatal. Treating this problem is a normal arm of general dentistry.
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What Is Sleep Apnea Treatment?
While products like breathing strips may claim to stop snoring or ease respiratory issues, sleep apnea is a far bigger problem for people who suffer from this condition. The snorer you love isn’t only bothering you with their growls and grumbles all night – if their snoring is a result of sleep apnea they are not getting a restful sleep either. Keep in mind, however, that not every sufferer of sleep apnea snores.
Sleep apnea treatment in Red Bank includes finding out first if you indeed do have sleep apnea, and then determining if you are a good candidate for the oral appliance that will help restore and maintain normal breathing patterns during sleep.
Here are some of the most common signs that you or someone you love has sleep apnea:
- Loud snoring that disturbs your sleep or the sleep of others
- Shortness of breath or not breathing during sleep which causes abrupt wakefulness accompanied by gasping or choking
- Headaches upon waking
- Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking
- Insomnia or restless sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Irritability
Sleep apnea does not present the same in every person, and there are symptoms beyond what is included on this list.
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Why See the Dentist for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
Oral appliances are typically considered the best method for treating sleep apnea, and your dentist is the best professional to fit you with this type of device. Sleep masks that provide a continuous flow of air into the lungs have long been used to help remedy sleep apnea, but sleep apnea-specific mouth guards are also available. Customized to fit over your upper and lower teeth, the guard realigns the position of the tongue and jaw to keep the airway open and your smile healthy. A sleep apnea treatment consultation in Red Bank, NJ, with Dr. Carole Sherrod Jewell will determine the best course of action for your condition. Contact us to schedule your appointment.
