Sleep Apnea Winthrop

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is an airway-related disorder that causes you to stop breathing tens or even hundreds of times in your sleep each night. The muscles in your throat or back of the mouth relax to the point where your airway closes, causing partial or complete blockage from air and oxygen. Partial closure can lead to snoring, and full closure leads to an apneic event, or a period of time where you are not getting air through. There are several different types of sleep apnea. The sleep apnea that involves the back of the throat, or the pharynx, is called obstructive sleep apnea. This is the most common type and is what we are equipped to treat here at Brooks Dental.

Take Our Sleep Apnea Assessment Quiz

Dangers of Sleep Apnea

Unfortunately, many people who live with undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea don’t realize just how serious this condition can be. Beyond just feeling perpetually tired, it can have real consequences on your overall health. For instance, if you struggle with poor sleep, you may struggle with focus, memory, depression, and reaction time. In fact, research shows that drowsy drivers may be just as dangerous as drunk drivers.

Many studies have found that those with this condition are at an increased risk of developing heart disease and experiencing a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke. Sleep apnea works to deprive your major organs of oxygen, and this causes a great deal of stress on the body. Side effects such as high blood pressure and acid reflux are very common. Additionally, pregnant women with untreated sleep apnea are much more likely to have a pre-term birth due to the increase in blood pressure.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Many times, those affected by sleep apnea can’t recognize the symptoms because they occur at night. In fact, it is estimated that around 80% of sleep apnea cases are untreated. However, you should call our office if you or your partner notice any of these common warning signs:

• Daytime sleepiness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loud, chronic snoring
• Teeth grinding
• Acid Reflux
• Restless leg syndrome
• Waking up gasping for air or feeling out of breath
• Waking up in the middle of the night several times to use the bathroom
• Morning headaches
• Mood changes or irritability
• Memory loss

If you think you could be suffering from sleep apnea, you’ll need to undergo a sleep study to confirm the diagnosis. We can set you up with a sleep study that you take home and use in your very own bed. We then send your sleep study to a certified sleep physician, who provides us with a diagnosis. We’ll have you back in the office to review the results of the sleep study and discuss next steps for treatment. At Brooks Dental, we are proud to help you on the path toward healthier sleep.

Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea

While anyone can be affected by sleep apnea at any age, here are some factors that can increase your risk of this disorder:

• Excess weight
• Wide neck circumference
• Being male
• Narrowed airway
• Family history
• Being older
• Use of alcohol or other drugs
• Smoking
• Nasal congestion

Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

Traditionally, sleep apnea has been treated using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, which works by pushing oxygen through the airway using a nasal or oral mask. Although very effective in improving one’s sleep apnea, CPAP devices can be cumbersome for many. They must be cleaned daily, they make noise when in use, and are uncomfortable to wear for some.

For those diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, the standard of care per the American Sleep Apnea Association is a CPAP. For those with mild to moderate sleep apnea, or for those who have tried the CPAP and cannot tolerate it, a custom-made oral appliance is an effective and reliable treatment option.

Here at Brooks Dental, we offer these oral appliances to our patients with sleep apnea. These personalized devices are worn only at night, and it works to shift your lower jaw into a position that keeps your airway open and unblocked during sleep. This option is not only smaller and easier to use, but it’s also convenient to travel with. Another great benefit of the oral appliance is that while it helps improve your sleep, it reduces snoring and also protects your teeth from wear and tear due to teeth grinding.

Take Our Sleep Quiz

Unsure if you might be living with sleep apnea? Brooks Dental wants to make it easier for you to get the help you need, which is why you can take the following quiz. Simply fill out the necessary information and answer the appropriate questions. This will serve as a starting point in determining how to move forward so that you can start getting the rest you need to embrace a better quality of life.

Take Our Sleep Apnea Assessment Quiz