Sleep Apnea
The Solution to Restful Sleep in Southeastern Illinois
What does the dentist have to do with your quality of sleep? More than you might think, actually. Patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea can discover how beneficial a visit to the dentist can be.
Sleep apnea affects approximately 22 million adults in the U.S., however, only about 5% of patients are properly diagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat are unable to keep the airway open when they relax and can actually cause a patient to stop breathing during sleep. These pauses in breath can last anywhere from a few seconds to a full minute, and often patients are known to snore or gasp while sleeping.
Patients who suffer from sleep apnea often feel tired, like they are not getting enough sleep. That’s because their normal breathing patterns are disrupted during rest, which lowers blood oxygen levels. Other symptoms of sleep apnea may include:
- Chronic snoring
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Lack of energy during the day
- Excessive tiredness
- Morning headaches
- Dry mouth or sore throat
At Comprehensive Dental Care of Mt. Carmel, we’ll work closely with a qualified sleep center to effectively diagnose your sleep apnea. We’ll provide an at-home sleep study, which we use to determine the best course of treatment for your individual needs, using one of our different oral appliances. Our goal is to open your airway while you sleep, so you can continuously and easily breathe.