How Can Dentists Help Treat Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea statistics show that many people cannot have quality sleep. Thankfully, various specialist doctors can help treat sleep apnea, including dentists. About 50-70 million adults in the US have a sleep disorder, whereas around 22 million Americans have sleep apnea. According to these statistics, the percentage of sleep apnea is approximately 18% in the American adult population. The figure is still staggering, and over 100 million people worldwide have some form of sleep apnea. There are numerous reasons, for instance, obesity, chronic nasal congestion, genetic factors, blocked airway, etc.  

Nowadays, different doctors provide sleep apnea treatment or even work together to alleviate people's conditions. These include general physicians, neurologists, dentists, psychiatrists, ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialists, and surgeons. Sleep apnea is becoming a growing threat to Americans, and it presents serious health risks which must curb. Fortunately, your dentist can help if you have sleep apnea. Dentists are crucial in diagnosing patients with sleep apnea or sleep-related breathing disorders. So, let's discuss sleep apnea and which oral appliances help treat snoring and other related issues. 

What is Sleep Apnea? 

Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects your sleep due to breathing issues. In sleep apnea, breathing starts and stops while you are asleep. If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause various other illnesses and conditions, namely; obesity, diabetes, heart failure, sleeplessness, fatigue, dry mouth, and so on. Some common symptoms in patients with sleep apnea. These include: 

• Gasping for air during sleep. 
• Noisy snoring. 
• Episodes of stopped breathing. 
• Morning headache. 
• Difficulty concentrating. 
• General irritability. 
• Sleeplessness during the day. 
• Abrupt awakenings during sleep. 

Leading Causes of Sleep Apnea

Blocked airways mainly cause sleep apnea. When this happens, the rear of the throat collapses while the person is asleep. Sometimes, sleep apnea also occurs due to a dysfunction in the central nervous system. When the brain's standard signals to breathe are interrupted, the person stops breathing for a while. This condition persists in sleep apnea patients whose brains cannot inform muscles to take in air. Sleep apnea treatment is essential to reduce the prevalence of other diseases or conditions, such as hypertension and stroke. Also, it improves sleep quality in patients who suffer from it.

Treatment Options: Can Dentists Help in Treating Sleep Apnea? 

Doctors recommend a few lifestyle changes for mild-natured sleep apnea, like losing weight. Patients with nasal allergies get treatment accordingly. However, if these measures do not improve your condition, you might have moderate to severe sleep apnea. Or, in some cases, you might not be comfortable wearing a CPAP machine, which offers excellent benefits. In such cases, you can have the following treatment options: 

• Airway pressure devices deliver pressurized air through your airway with a mask and a tube. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the most commonly used device. 
• Oral devices such as EMA (Elastic Mandibular Advancement) provide a customized approach to treating sleep apnea. This device keeps the mouth and throat of the patient open during sleep to aid breathing.  
• Side sleeping encourages blood flow and reduces snoring. Positional therapy involves wearing a device around your waist to keep you sleeping on your side.  
• Oxygen therapy is also an option to treat patients with sleep apnea. 
• The patient must undergo surgery when sleep apnea doesn't cure with other treatments. Surgery for sleep apnea involves shrinking or removing parts of the tonsils, the soft palate, and the uvula. 

Dentists who practice dental sleep medicine can treat patients with sleep apnea. They recommend using oral devices such as tongue-retaining mouthpieces and mandibular advancement devices.  

"Go to bed; you'll feel better tomorrow" is the human version of "Did you try turning it off and on again?" 

Concluding Thoughts 

There are various options to treat sleep apnea; however, no one treatment is suitable for each individual. You can talk to your dentist if you have trouble tolerating CPAP therapy or other alternative treatments. You might find oral devices more helpful in alleviating your condition and living a happy life. 

Contact your dentist in Union City, Dr. Zafar Sayeedi, at Noble Dental Care to learn more about How dentists can help Treat Sleep Apnea.

Resource:

Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

*This media/content or any other on this website does not prescribe, recommend, or prevent any treatment or procedure. Therefore, we highly recommend that you get the advice of a qualified dentist or other medical practitioners regarding your specific dental condition*