Been having restless nights and tiring days? Did a bed partner or a family member accuse you of producing irritating sounds at night? These may be symptoms of sleep apnea! It is a disorder that causes a person to pause breathing for a few seconds to a few minutes when sleeping. Although sleep apnea may sound harmless, it is a condition that should not be disregarded.
Sleep apnea episodes can occur up to a hundred times a night! The number of episodes or interruptions varies depending on the extremity of the disorder. Patients who have mild sleep apnea can experience 5 to 14 episodes of breathing pauses in an hour, while moderate sufferers experience 15 to 30 episodes per hour and those with severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea experiences 30 and more episodes in an hour. Do know that pauses in breathing causes the oxygen levels in the blood to drop, so you can imagine how harmful sleep apnea is to one’s health.
Here are some of the common side-effects of sleep apnea a patient could experience:
- The condition prevents sufferers from getting sufficient amount of sleep needed to keep the body and mind healthy. Sufferers are more likely to encounter the adverse effects of sleep deprivation to their overall wellness, relationships, and performances.
- Although there are no official conclusions, links are suggesting the connection between sleep apnea and systemic health problems like depression, cardiac arrests, type two diabetes, tumors (cancerous), silent strokes, and pregnancy complications.
- There are some instances that those who have sleep apnea also have bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching disorder). These conditions increase one’s risk of damage to the enamel, headaches, TMJ disorder, and toothaches.
- Sleep apnea is usually associated with snoring that can cause the mouth to dry during sleep. Since there is no means to replenish the lost saliva during this time, the structures in the mouth remain unprotected.
- Constant and extended exposure to dry mouth gradually dries out the sockets of the teeth. If left unattended it could cause the teeth to loosen and eventually fall out.
At Thousand Oaks Dental, we help our patients who experience the adverse effects of sleep apnea by offering a special oral appliance. The primary focus of the device is to shift the jaws and hold the soft tissues at the back of the throat in place. It is to prevent the episodes of sleep apnea from occurring for patients to get their much-needed rest.
If you’re suffering from a sleep disorder that causes breathing pauses, then it may be Sleep Apnea! Book your appointment immediately at Thousand Oaks Dental for Sleep Apnea treatment in San Antonio, TX.