Do you snore? How about your significant other?
Snoring is a very common sign of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious health condition that can cause a range of medical problems. At the very least, it can prevent you from getting a restful night’s sleep. However, some symptoms can be life threatening. Sleep Apnea often causes Hypertension, Irregular Heartbeat, Depression and can even result in Sudden Cardiac Death.
Dental Consequences of Sleep Apnea
There is a strong link between dental health and sleep apnea. A lot of people ask “Why is a dentist is talking to me about sleep apnea?” Sleep apnea can cause you to grind your teeth (bruxism) while sleeping.
Teeth grinding use to be associated with stress, but it is now known that obstructive sleep apnea is the major cause.
Issues Arising from Bruxism
Bruxism can cause severe damage to your teeth and tooth pain throughout the day. Your dentist can see lots of indicators of sleep apnea in your mouth.
The complications from nocturnal teeth grinding don’t end there. If the condition is severe and goes untreated long enough, it can lead to problems with the jaw joint.
Sleep Apnea patients nearly choke to death hundreds of times a night. There is an obstruction of the airway and oxygen levels drop to critical levels. The brains sends out an massive alert to wake up and clear the obstruction. The jaw moves violently to clear the airway obstruction. Sleep is fragmented and the body never receives the restful and rejuvenating properties of complete sleep.
CPAP therapy, where air is rammed down the throat, keeps the airway open. Yet many patients can’t tolerate a CPAP mask, which can be uncomfortable and oppressive.
Luckily, Dr. Nugent offers custom dental appliances to prevent obstructive sleep apnea. A dental appliance is made especially for you and is much more comfortable and portable than a CPAP. Dr. Nugent will work with your physician or sleep medicine specialist to find an effective solution to your sleep apnea issues.
You don’t have to live with snoring or a CPAP machine. Call our office today at 832-487-0647 to see how Dr. Nugent is changing sleep apnea patient’s lives.
