Sleep Apnea

Meridian, Idaho

Sleep Apnea

Does your partner complain that you snore at night? Do you struggle to stay asleep or suffer from excessive day time sleepiness? Well, you're not alone! Research shows that approximately 25% of men and 10% of women struggle with sleep apnea, a sleeping disorder that can potentially cause a wide range of health challenges. The condition often goes undiagnosed due to people's inability to track their nighttime symptoms. This article seeks to provide all the information you need to know about sleep apnea.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a severe sleep condition in which your breathing repeatedly ceases and restarts while sleeping. If left untreated, it may lead to daytime fatigue, loud snoring, or more severe issues such as high blood pressure and various heart conditions.

Generally, there are three types of sleep apnea:

Central Sleep Apnea

This occurs when your brain does not send sufficient signals to the muscles that control your respiratory system resulting in interuptions in breathing. This form of sleep apnea mainly occurs in people diagnosed with neuromuscular conditions or those who have had an encounter with heart failure, lung disease, kidney disease, stroke, or any situation involving the heart.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

As the most common form of this disorder, obstructive sleep apnea refers to complete or partial airway blockage while sleeping. Your brain senses this lack of oxygen supply and will arouse you in an effort to improve breathing. This arousal may be seen as loud breathing, gasps, or even jolts.

Complex Sleep Apnea

Also referred to as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, this condition refers to a situation where the patient has been diagnosed with both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

A patient wearing a mask to aid with respiration

Common symptoms of this disorder include:

Snoring
Headaches
Anxiety or depression
Sexual dysfunction
Night sweats

Restlessness while sleeping
Constant peeing at night
Sore throat or dry mouth after waking up
Waking up while choking or gasping for air
Sore throat or dry mouth after sleeping

It is vital to note that sleep apnea can affect people from different age groups. However, people struggling with obesity and structural abnormalities, like a large neck, undersized lower jaw, enlarged tonsils, or low-hanging soft palate, are more likely to be diagnosed with sleep apnea.

How Can Sleep Apnea Be Treated?

If you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor will suggest the preferred mode of treatment based on the severity of your condition and your desire for treatment. For those with mild sleep apnea, it may be first advisable to make several lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking, or drinking, losing weight, or even begin nasal allergy medications if indicated.

If the sleep apnea persists despite lifestyle changes, the following two treatments are by far the most common:

Use of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which sends positive air pressure through your mouth and nose to help maintain a patent airway and breathe well while sleeping. A CPAP, while very effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea, tends to be underused by patients. At 1 year post treatment with a CPAP, approximately 50% of patients no longer use the device.
A third and less often pursued option is the surgical route. Common surgeries to aid in correcting sleep apnea include: Tissue shrinkage, nerve stimulation, tissue removal, or jaw repositioning. Your doctor may also recommend surgeries that involve weight loss procedures or the removal of tonsils to reduce snoring and treat your sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment at 208 Dental

One of the main treatment options at 208 Dental is the mandibular advancement devices (MADs). Ideal for mild and moderate sleep apnea conditions, this treatment option involves using a device to prevent your tongue from obstructing the throat and extending the bottom jaw forward.

Sleep Apnea, lady having a toothache while on bed with his partner

As a result, they ensure the airway remains open while sleeping, thus minimizing snoring while treating the detrimental effects of sleep apnea. Dr. Goettsche is an excellent dentist in Meridian and will not only ensure the correct oral appliance is chosen but that it is also well-fitting for optimal results. He and his team will also give you sufficient guidelines on how to use the device as well as manage your treatment going forward.

Treatment of sleep apnea by having your dentist fit you with a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). The goal of this therapy is to create an oral appliance that aids in the forward positioning of one's lower jaw in order to open up one's airway. Admittedly, this option is not as successful at treating sleep apnea as a CPAP machine. However, patients who choose this route have a much higher compliance rate due to its overall ease of use and comfort when compared to a CPAP.

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Contact 208 Dental

208 Dental is an exceptional dental office in Meridian that offers a wide range of dental services and office amenities, aimed at preserving the dental health of its patients. We offer family dentistry meridian services and cosmetic dentistry from top cosmetic dentist Meridian.

Our experienced team of Meridian, Idaho, dentists ensure that all patients enjoy quality care, comprehensive patient education, and treatment from cutting-edge technology for the best results. Contact us today for more information on our services, or if you are searching for cosmetic dentistry near me.

208 DENTAL

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(208) 501-8860

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53 E Calderwood Dr #110, Meridian, ID 83642

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CONNECT WITH US

CONTACT

(208) 501-8860

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53 E Calderwood Dr, #110
Meridian, ID 83642

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