How to Sleep better ? Are you keeping yourself or your partner up all night with loud snoring? According to the Ontario Dental Association, approximately 25% of men and 10% of women have a serious sleep disorder defined by grunts, gasps, and explosive snoring called obtrusive sleep apnea (OSA).
If this is you or anyone that you know, this article is for you:
What is Sleep Apnea (symptoms & causes)?
Sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by tissues at the back of your throat that obstructs your airway causing tiredness, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and frequent breathing interruptions at night. There are 3 main types of sleep apnea including obtrusive sleep apnea which is the most common, central sleep apnea which occurs when improper signals are sent to the muscles that control your breathing, and complex sleep apnea syndrome which is a combination of the other two types.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that can cause complications like daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, heart problems, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, memory loss, problems concentrating, morning headaches, irritability, and liver problems. Obtrusive sleep apnea occurs when soft tissue collapses during sleep due to an airway blockage.
Click here to check out Harvard Health’s sleep apnea and snoring guide. It contains home remedies for snoring, how to find the best resources, what foods and drinks to avoid before bed, solutions to help you sleep better and lower your risk of sleep apnea as well as a lot of industry-leading advice about dealing with your sleep apnea.
How do I know if I am at risk for Sleep Apnea?
Obtrusive Sleep Apnea- Men particularly will want to be seen by their physician if they have weight gain (fat deposits can obstruct breathing), a thick neck, a family history of sleep apnea, smoking, have nasal congestion, or they have related medical conditions.
How do Dentists treat Sleep Apnea? and help you sleep better (dental devices):
Although your dentist can’t diagnose sleep apnea, they can let you know if you have the associated risk factors by looking at your jaw and other aspects of your mouth that influence OSA. If they suspect you may have sleep apnea they can refer you to a specialist or may even recommend a dental device that prevents your jaw and tongue from blocking your airway while you sleep.
At Sbenati Dentistry we use mandibular advancements devices, which are connected upper and lower nightguards which advance your lower jaw to create an opening so you can sleep better. For more information on oral appliances like (mandibular advancement devices, mouthguards) along with alternative treatment options you should check out the American Academy of Sleep Medicine or contact our clinic!
Conclusion (Invest in quality sleep)
Sleep Apnea affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and a large majority of people don’t get treated for this condition. The quality of sleep we get affects how effective we are for every second of every day. So, do you want to sleep better tonight?
If you are unsure if you suffer from a sleep disorder and what to find out, book a consultation exam and Dr. Sbenati will be happy to speak to you more about mandibular advancement devices and sleep apnea.
If you’d like to contact the Sbenati Dentistry dental clinic in London Ontario you can use our online “Request An Appointment” form, email us at Info@sbenatidentistry.ca, or give us a call at (519)-474-0220.
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