What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing at night. A lot of patients aren't even aware that they stop breathing. When your breathing stops multiple times or becomes very shallow during sleep, it can reduce oxygen levels, and your body ends up waking up even if you're not fully awake. Your body is waking up and trying to restart the breathing process each time.
Who is at risk for sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can affect any age. Even kids can have sleep apnea. Some of the most common risk factors are snoring, a larger neck size, being a perimenopausal or postmenopausal woman, waking up tired and not refreshed in the morning even after sleeping six hours or so, and having a family history of sleep apnea.
However, a lot of people with sleep apnea do not meet the stereotype. We shouldn't just be looking at how things look. We should also pay attention to symptoms.
How does sleep apnea affect my oral health?
Sleep apnea can affect oral health in many ways. When you breathe through your mouth, your mouth can become dry, and you may have a higher incidence of tooth decay and gum disease. Inflammation and ulcers can also be found in the mouth.
The dentist can be one of the first health care providers to notice signs associated with sleep apnea when we look in the mouth because we usually examine the airway, jaw symmetry, and position of the teeth. If somebody has a smaller jaw, crowded teeth, a larger tongue, or tongue-positioning issues, those factors can affect the airway.
How can a dentist help identify and treat sleep apnea?
The dentist can help identify early signs that a patient could possibly have sleep apnea because, during a regular exam, we check the airway, jaw position, and teeth position. If you have a smaller jaw, crowding, and you snore at night, these can be signs associated with sleep apnea.
The dentist can then refer you to your physician for a sleep test. If you're diagnosed with sleep apnea, the dentist can work closely with your physician as part of your treatment.
What treatment options might a dentist recommend for sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea has several treatment options. CPAP is definitely one of the options. Another option the dentist may recommend is a custom-made mandibular advancement device. It's basically a double night guard. One goes on the top, and one goes on the bottom. They gently move your lower jaw into a favorable position to help open your airway.
Can oral surgery help treat sleep apnea?
We don't look to surgery as a first line of treatment. Sometimes surgery is recommended, but we try more conservative options like CPAP and oral appliances first. For some patients, depending on their case and the obstruction in the airway, surgery may be needed as part of treatment.
What appliances do dentists recommend for sleep apnea?
The appliances dentists may recommend for sleep apnea are mandibular advancement devices. These are custom-made appliances designed to fit your mouth, teeth, and TMJ, which is the jaw joint. They gently move your jaw forward to a favorable position to help open your airway. The measurements for the device and the type of device you get are very specific to you.
How can I schedule an appointment to talk with a dentist about sleep apnea?
If you feel like you're snoring, you've been told that you're snoring, or you wake up tired in the morning and want to know if you could possibly have sleep apnea, you can give us a call at Loudoun Smile Center. We would love to look at everything for you and help determine whether you should get a sleep study.
If you're ready to schedule an exam or would like to learn more about our services, we'd love to hear from you. Call us at (703) 297-4407 or email [email protected]. We look forward to caring for your smile.