If you’re one of 12 million North Americans who suffer from sleep apnea, Dr. David Hennington and team can help. Sleep apnea, a disorder that causes frequent disruption to your body’s sleep patterns, is also potentially dangerous. It causes abnormal pauses in breathing or very shallow breathing during the night.
For those who suffer from sleep apnea, it may seem impossible to wake up feeling rested and energized. You may, for example, sleep for eight hours, but your body might have received three or four hours of sleep.
Besides losing a good night’s sleep, the risk of heart attack and stroke have been linked to sleep apnea. Other conditions associated include, depression, irritability, high blood pressure, memory loss, and sexual dysfunction.
Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relax to the point of inhibiting natural breathing. The muscles in the soft palate relax and the airway closes, causing breathing to stop for 10 to 20 seconds. This is dangerous because it lowers the oxygen level in the brain.
Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, and CPAP devices (continuous positive airway pressure), among other treatments, are often prescribed for treatment. Another treatment option is an oral sleep apnea appliance, which positions your mouth in a way that brings your lower jaw forward and opens up your airway for unobstructed breathing.
At Trade Winds Dental, we truly care about the health and well-being of our patients. In fact, we regularly screen our patients for sleep disorders during their regular checkups. We will refer you to a specialist if an issue is detected. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at our Georgetown, TX office if you think you have sleep apnea or if you have any questions or concerns!