Just resting. Young african-american man sleeping in bed at home, having good dreams, copy space
If you have trouble resting and often struggle with daytime exhaustion, this could be related to a sleep disorder. We want to offer relief so in the short-term you feel more refreshed, and in the long-term you avoid stress on your heart health. In today’s blog, your Grand Prairie, TX, dentist talks about how we treat sleep apnea with an oral appliance.
Do you often snore at night? If so, this is caused by limited airflow. When our airways are partially blocked by soft tissues, this means as air is forced through when we breathe, these tissues vibrate and create a loud sound. Factors behind this could include sleeping on your back, sinus and allergy issues, deviated septum, issues with the growth of your smile or even obesity or a large neck circumference. But this could also be a warning sign of a serious disorder known as sleep apnea.
With obstructive sleep apnea, as you rest the same air passages we discussed above are completely blocked by the collapse of soft tissues. This means you stop breathing until the brain wakes you, and even though you may not recall this happening, it could happen multiple times a night, often dozens of times an hour. The disorder leaves you feeling exhausted during the day, and could cause moodiness, dry mouth, headaches, memory issues, and difficulty concentrating. You could even wake in the night choking or gasping for air. Don’t ignore these warning signs, or chronic snoring, as we could help before this places stress on your immune system and heart health!
With oral appliance therapy, our team will take detailed images of your smile from multiple angles, and use them in a lab setting to design and craft an oral appliance, one that you wear while you sleep at night. The oral appliance will fit like a mouthguard and shift the jaw and tongue forward to keep airways from being obstructed by collapsed soft tissues. You then breathe without interruption all night and wake up feeling more rested and refreshed. The appliance is easy to use and clean, and it can travel with you too! If you have any questions about how we treat a sleep disorder, or if you want to use your 2024 dental benefits before they expire at the end of December, then contact our team today to learn more.
Our team wants to help you enjoy a better night’s rest, so you feel more alert and refreshed. For more information on treating snoring and sleep apnea, then schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith and our team by calling Pecan Tree Dental in Grand Prairie, TX, today at (972) 262-5111.
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