Sleep apnea can go well beyond a poor quality of sleep. It may be a leading cause of fatigue, headaches, trouble focusing, moodiness, and long-term health issues that aren’t directly related to breathing problems at night. At Prostho Endo Dental Group in North Bethesda, MD, we consider all aspects when treating sleep apnea. Our patients appreciate the thoughtful care, effective communication, and comfortable treatment options we offer. Whether you’re concerned about snoring, lack of deep sleep, or can’t wear a CPAP mask, our dental sleep medicine services could help you achieve a better night’s sleep.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that is present during sleep. It involves breathing that stops completely, becomes shallow, or is blocked. It reduces the oxygen level in the blood and prevents you from reaching deep, restorative levels of sleep. It can occur so quickly that you may not even wake up during the episode. Still, your brain will register a decrease in oxygen levels and send signals to open your airway in order to take another breath.
Many patients aren’t aware that their sleep is being affected by sleep apnea episodes. They may believe they’re getting all the sleep they need, but still feel exhausted in the morning. Often, this condition goes unnoticed because symptoms are subtle or slow to develop until a partner, spouse, or family member brings up snoring, snorting, gasping, or choking sounds, or periods where you stop breathing.
What Are The Different Types Of Sleep Apnea?
There are several types of sleep apnea. The two most common are obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles, tongue, soft palate, and/or side airways relax too much and block breathing. This type of sleep apnea can be treated with a dental oral appliance that moves the jaw and tongue and opens the airway.
Central sleep apnea involves signals sent from your brain to your respiratory muscles that are not sent correctly. Sometimes it can also be caused by heart conditions. Mixed or complex sleep apnea occurs when you have characteristics of both obstructive and central sleep apnea. The main dental treatment for sleep apnea focuses on the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, but understanding what type of apnea you have will help to identify an appropriate course of treatment with your doctor.
How Do You Know If You Have Sleep Apnea?
There can be different signs of sleep apnea at night, in the day, or both. Nighttime symptoms can include:
- Loud snoring
- Restlessness in your sleep
- Choking, snorting, or gasping for air
- Frequent wakening at night
- Waking with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Grinding or clenching of the teeth
- Tightness in your jaw in the morning
Daytime symptoms of sleep apnea may include:
- Morning headache
- Trouble concentrating or brain fog
- Irritability or mood changes
- Excessive drowsiness
Sometimes, patients don’t realize they aren’t sleeping well and just feel less patient, not as productive, or as energized as they once were. But these problems can easily be associated with stress, aging, or being busy, so a good exam is necessary before we can just blame normal aging for fatigue.
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea needs to be diagnosed with the right medical exams and testing. You could recommend a proper sleep study, also known as a polysomnography, in the lab. A sleep study will look at breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, what stage of sleep you are in, and body movement while you sleep. This type of study can help you find the severity and pattern of your sleep problems.
Or in some cases, you might be recommended a home sleep testing kit, which you can wear at home instead of in a lab. Home sleep testing can work well for many patients who we think have obstructive sleep apnea. And while home testing is not for all situations, it might work well for you.
At Prostho Endo Dental Group, our dental team can review symptoms, oral health, and airway problems and help you figure out when it makes sense to be evaluated. Getting a diagnosis of sleep apnea from a qualified medical provider can help us decide how to treat you and if oral appliance therapy for sleep is safe and right for you.
Risk Factors For Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can happen at any age and any weight in adults, but certain things can increase the chances of developing it: being overweight, a naturally narrow airway, large tonsils, long-term nasal blockage, drinking alcohol at night, and smoking and sleeping on the back. Jaw anatomy and teeth bite can also contribute to sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea in older age and a family history of sleep apnea are also risk factors for sleep apnea. Most often, it is diagnosed in men, but women with sleep apnea can sometimes have it go undiagnosed if the signs look like tiredness or insomnia, or headaches or emotional changes, and not loud snoring. The factors that raise the odds of having sleep apnea can vary, so a comprehensive exam is best rather than a checklist of one or two symptoms.
Health Risks Of Untreated Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can put long-term stress on the body. Low oxygen and poor sleep may be linked with high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and blood sugar problems. Your ability to stay healthy, think, control emotions, and function well can also be affected by poor sleep.
The signs of sleep apnea that can happen at night might include clenching your teeth, grinding your teeth at night, wearing down your teeth, tooth sensitivity, jaw discomfort, dry mouth, and tooth or gum decay. None of these confirms sleep apnea, but they can point in that direction. Treating sleep apnea isn’t merely about cutting down on snoring; it’s also about helping the body rest and recover more effectively.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
The type of treatment you pursue depends on the severity of your condition, what kind of sleep apnea you have, and your personal health factors. Many people are prescribed CPAP for moderate to severe sleep apnea to keep the airway open during sleep with pressurized air that is delivered through a mask. CPAP is the most successful treatment option for many patients, while others find difficulty adjusting to the mask, noise from the machine, or even the inconvenience of travel and overall comfort at night.
Treatment can also be aided with some lifestyle changes, such as managing your weight, avoiding alcohol prior to bedtime, changing your sleep position, increasing your nasal breathing, and managing any other conditions contributing to apnea. Other treatment options might also include surgery or more intense medical intervention. For appropriate patients diagnosed with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP, we are also able to provide oral appliance therapy as an effective, more comfortable alternative.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy involves the wearing of a custom dental appliance during the night to treat sleep apnea. When worn properly, an oral appliance moves your jaw forward gently, opening up your airway to allow for easier breathing and less obstruction. Custom-made dental appliances are designed specifically for each patient’s bite alignment, jaw position, comfort, and needs. Unlike a one-size-fits-all over-the-counter snoring mouthguard, your custom oral device will fit perfectly and comfortably.
At Prostho Endo Dental Group, oral appliance therapy treatment begins by considering how well the device fits, how it functions, and if it is comfortable for the patient long-term. Your appointment may include a thorough dental evaluation, additional imaging or x-rays if necessary, impressions or digital scans, fitting of the appliance, and future checks to make the adjustments needed. The appliance must help improve the airway, but without straining the jaw or changing your bite improperly, which is why follow-up care is important.
For some of our North Bethesda, MD patients, oral appliance therapy is a better, more manageable option compared to using a CPAP. The appliance is more comfortable to sleep with, easier to bring on the road, and quieter than mask-based options. For many patients, a custom oral appliance is simply a practical solution as well as an effective one, allowing them to continue their nightly routine normally and easily.
Get Started On Your Sleep Apnea Journey
Seeking treatment for sleep apnea means working with a team that understands the importance of good sleep and healthy airway function. Prostho Endo Dental Group approaches every patient with care, taking comfort, dental function, oral health, and long-term treatment effectiveness into consideration. Your dentist will explain and educate you along the way and carefully consider the treatment to make sure that the appliance fits well and functions properly.
So if you are struggling with snoring, sleep apnea, or other poor sleep patterns, consider giving Prostho Endo Dental Group a call. We can help you navigate your options for treatment with care and a practical outlook on how you may achieve a better night’s sleep and a greater sense of overall wellness.