Sacramento Dentistry Group | Sacramento Invisalign® Dentist | Sacramento, CA
If you feel like you are always waking up exhausted, there might be a medical reason. Sleeping conditions such as snoring, and sleep apnea can get in the way of a good night’s sleep by limiting your oxygen intake as you sleep. So, if you feel like you just can’t seem to get enough sleep, you might need better quality of sleep as opposed to more time sleeping.
If you snore when you sleep, you are in the same boat as about two thirds of all Americans. The sound of snoring is caused by your tongue and tissues around your sinuses. When air can’t move freely through your mouth and sinuses, it causes these tissues to vibrate as air tires to pass through. The vibration is what creates that rumbling sound that can vary from fairly quiet to loud.
At its least concerning, snoring can be annoying and interfere with your partner’s sleep. On more concerning notes, snoring is a sign that air is not moving freely which could mean that air flow to the lungs is being restricted. Snoring is also linked to sleep apnea, a more serious condition.
The reason sleep apnea is so concerning is because it restricts the amount of oxygen you get when you are asleep. If you believe sleep apnea is a cause for concern to your health, our dentist can perform an exam.
There are different forms of sleep apnea, the most common being OSA, or obstructive sleep apnea. This is characterized by the back of your throat being obstructed, or blocked, causing you to stop breathing. This causes you to wake up so that you can breathe.
The sleep disruption that results from sleep apnea can be even more serious. Some studies have shown that it can shorten your lifespan by up to 12 years. The following health conditions can result due to different forms of sleep apnea:
• Abnormal Facial Growth in Children.
• Acid reflux.
• ADHD.
• Alzheimers.
• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Difficulty Controlling Diabetes.
• Headaches and Migraines.
• Heart Attack.
• High Blood Pressure.
• Impotence or Loss of Libido.
• Irritability and Aggressive Behavior.
• Loss of Focus and Memory.
• Stroke.
• Tooth Grinding at Night or Bruxism.
• Unusual Daytime Fatigue.
• Weight Gain.
Sleep apnea begins in the mouth and sinuses. Our dentist is an expert and our team can help you find a treatment that is best for you, so you can get back your restful sleep.
An example of some of the treatments we use:
Snoring and sleep apnea go hand in hand. 67% of Americans snore, and over 80% of these Americans are affected by sleep apnea.
We’ve compiled a list of things you can do to get your snoring under control.