Dental Health

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Sleep Apnea

This is a condition that is far more common than generally understood and afflicts several million people in North America. First described in 1965, sleep apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. It owes its name to a Greek word, "apnea" which means "want of breath." There are two types of sleep apnea: Obstructive or Central with the most common form being is "obstructive sleep apnea", or OSA, as it is often called. The cause of OSA is similar to that of snoring. When the airway becomes constricted enough, breathing will stop and oxygen will be blocked from the lungs. Each time breathing is blocked, oxygen in the bloodstream falls and the heart must work harder to circulate blood. Blood pressure rises and the heart may beat irregularly or even stop.Signs of Sleep Apnea Include:

Choking or the stop of breathing during sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Morning headaches
Irresistible urge to nap or sleep during the day

Dental appliances that reposition the lower jaw and the tongue have been very helpful to some patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea or who snore but do not have apnea. Possible side effects include damage to teeth, soft tissues, and the jaw joint. A dentist or orthodontist is often the one to fit the patient with such a device. A night-guard or 'splint' can be made by your dentist. This is a piece of plastic that fits over your teeth (usually the top teeth) which is worn to bed so that you grind on the plastic; not your teeth. In some patients, this seems to have a self-regulatory effect which stops the habit altogether. Perhaps this is because you achieve less satisfaction when trying to grind on this smooth piece of hard plastic.

Limbs jerk during sleep
Waking up tired or thirsty
Snoring

Take Our Sleep Quiz

Some Signs of Sleep Apnea:

Appointment not necessary for people in pain.
Call 519-679-Dove (3683).