Today's Dental Health: Sleep Apnea

JUNE 2011



For a long time I have worked with patients experiencing a serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea describes the condition of a person who stops breathing for more than 10 seconds at a time throughout the night. Statistically, this condition has been shown to lead to cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, erectile dysfunction and memory and concentration impairment. Because sleep apnea reduces the quality of sleep, it can also contribute to daytime sleepiness and is, in fact, a leading cause of car accidents.

The two most commonly identified sleep apnea symptoms are gasping for air or chocking during sleep and loud snoring. On any given day, ten to thirty percent of all adults snore, a condition that can greatly reduce the ability to sleep well. So, loud snoring can be a sign of upper airway resistance syndrome and a serious sleep disorder breathing condition such as obstructive sleep apnea. Other symptoms may include painful morning headaches, waking up with a sore or dry mouth, difficulty concentrating and urinating frequently throughout the night.

We may be able to correct obstructive sleep apnea by fitting you with a dental appliance that is worn during the night. If your sleep apnea is caused by the tongue resting on the airway, a tongue-retaining device can correct the problem. Sleep apnea caused by the incorrect positioning of the jaw may be treated with a device inserted into the mouth or strapped around the head to adjust the jaw's positioning. Dental devices worn inside the mouth to treat sleep apnea look like athletic mouth guards. They are removable and worn only at night. If sleep apnea is caused by excess tissue growth on the tongue or in the back of the throat, the overgrowth may be surgically removed to resolve the blockage.

Just because you may have one or more of these signs or symptoms does not confirm that you have sleep apnea. Consult with your dentist or doctor to undergo a professional evaluation. For more information about sleep disorders dentistry, visit The Dental Organization for Sleep Apnea, The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, and www.kakarisdentistry.com.