Do you or a member of your family snore while sleeping? Are you suffering from heavy fatigue caused by a night of interrupted sleep? These may be symptoms of sleep apnea. At our Beverly Hills dental practice, Signature Dental provides a comprehensive solution to sleep apnea using dental appliances that help patients finally achieve a full night’s rest.
Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening sleep disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. The term sleep apnea is derived from Greek etymology, which means “without breath.” Breathing pauses can last anywhere from several seconds to minutes and happen as often as 30 times or more per hour. Ongoing disrupted breathing causes an imbalance between the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the bloodstream, as insufficient carbon dioxide exits and insufficient oxygen enters the body.
Sensing this imbalance, the brain sends a message to the body, telling it to wake up and restart breathing. People with sleep apnea will partially awaken as they struggle to breathe, and this is often accompanied by loud snoring or choking sensations. Because people with sleep apnea don’t always completely awake during the episodes, they are usually unaware they have a sleeping disorder, and it can remain undiagnosed.
There are two main types of this disorder: central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain fails to send necessary signals to the breathing muscles, and obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when air cannot flow through the nose or mouth even though the body is still trying to breathe. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more prevalent and easily treatable by the dentist.
Common signs of obstructive sleep apnea can include severe early morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, and insomnia. Fortunately, the dentist has the necessary technology and expertise to treat sleep apnea in several ways.
It is very important to seek medical attention if sleep apnea is suspected. A sufferer can stop breathing completely numerous times per hour, and this can quickly turn into a deadly situation. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissue lying at the back of the patient’s throat collapses into the airway. The tongue then falls towards the back of the throat, tightening the blockage and preventing oxygen from entering the lungs.
The problem worsens when the chest region, diaphragm, and abdomen fight for air. The efforts they make to obtain vital oxygen only cause a further tightening of the blockage. The patient must arouse from deep sleep to tense the tongue and remove the soft tissue from the airway.
Because sleep apnea causes carbon dioxide levels to skyrocket in the blood and oxygen levels to decrease, the heart has to pump harder and faster to compensate for the lack of oxygen. Sleep apnea patients can technically “die” many times each night. Sleep apnea has been linked to a series of severe heart-related conditions and should be investigated by the dentist at the earliest opportunity.
Sleep apnea treatments can have many benefits, including:
Anyone who experiences symptoms of sleep apnea in the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles area should seek therapy for this disorder.
Common signs include:
Book Your Appointment Today!
If you’re in the Beverly Hills or greater Los Angeles area and are tired of being tired, contact our practice today if you feel you may benefit from sleep apnea treatment. Our team at Signature Dental knows what a difference a good night’s rest can make! Call us at 310-652-0555 or simply book an appointment on our website and board that train to dreamland with peaceful, uninterrupted sleep.
