Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea is a dangerous and often life-threatening sleeping disorder, and it causes a person's breathing to stop and start repeatedly while sleeping. Breathing pauses caused by sleep apnea can last for a few seconds to a minute depending upon the severity of the condition. These breathing pauses lead to a lack of oxygen rich blood reaching your organs and even your brain.
When the brain senses this imbalance in the bloodstream, it sends signals to the body forcing it to wake up and breath. People who suffer from sleep apnea cannot enter deep sleep due to this repeatedly occurring throughout the night.
Sleep apnea has two known types namely, central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send signals to muscles that control breathing during sleep, and obstructive sleep apnea which is when the body tries to breath but little or no air can pass through the nose or mouth into the lungs. Obstructive sleep apnea is the more common type of sleep apnea and once you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea it can be successfully treated by a dentist.
Some commonly experienced symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are morning headaches, feeling tired or sleepy during the day, and difficulty concentrating. If recommended or approved by your physician, dentists can make a custom oral appliance to treat sleep apnea.
The reason why you should get sleep apnea treated immediately
If you think you have sleep apnea, it is important to get it treated as soon as possible. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity and even diabetes. Most importantly sleep apnea can stop breathing completely making it a life-threatening disorder.
An oral appliance for sleep apnea can be used to hold the lower jaw slightly forward preventing your tongue from blocking the airway. These devices are not only comfortable to wear but they can also save you from surgical solutions.