Is my snoring a dental health concern?

Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but most patients with sleep apnea, snore.

Snoring disrupts your sleeping patterns and in some cases, it is a symptom of a more serious medical concern called Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea not only agitates others trying to sleep, it may be causing harm to your overall health. West Ashley Family Dentistry offers treatment options for reducing the effects of OSA.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs during sleep when your throat muscles relax, blocking your airway. This causes a recurring and temporary cessation of breathing, which lowers the level of oxygen reaching your vital organs. When oxygen levels drop, you may wake up gasping for air. This process may happen hundreds of times per night adding stress to your body and impacting your quality of rest.

If you snore loudly or wake up repeatedly gasping for air, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible. Early diagnosis may help prevent long-term health consequences such as stroke, hypertension, or a heart attack.

Know The Signs of Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is too commonly underdiagnosed. Ignoring the signs of sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications- OSA should be treated as soon as possible. Knowing the signs of OSA can help you seek treatment before OSA impacts your systemic health and quality of life. Drs. Dickert and Lynn work with your doctor or a local sleep specialist to help diagnose and treat your OSA.

Common signs of sleep apnea are as follows:

• Daytime sleepiness
• General fatigue
• Insomnia
• Loud snoring
• Choking or gasping for air while sleeping
• Headaches
• Irritability

Oral Appliance Therapy for OSA

Our Charleston, SC area dentist office offers custom-fit oral appliance therapy for the treatment of OSA. Your West Ashley dentist will custom design an oral mouthpiece to the specifications of your bite for a comfortable fit and effective results. Oral sleep appliances are designed to align the jaw allowing the airway to remain open while asleep.

Patients who wear an oral sleep appliance find relief from many of their sleep apnea symptoms almost overnight. Oral sleep appliance therapy is minimally invasive, discreet, and highly effective. Patients will enjoy a better nights’ rest and often report having more energy and higher levels of concentration.

Treating sleep apnea can prevent a wide range of secondary health complications. Contact our Charleston, SC dentist office to learn more about how oral sleep appliance therapy can help you.