What Is Sleep Apnea?
Apnea means to stop breathing. Sleep apnea refers to a condition wherein you stop breathing during sleep. Most of us know someone who snores during sleep. You may also know someone who has commented that their partner has stopped breathing during sleep for seemingly long periods – long enough to be frightening. While snoring is often made the subject of jokes or teasing, it could be an indication of a serious health problem. The severity and danger associated with sleep apnea range from snoring that irritates your partner to life-threatening medical conditions. If apnea involves physical obstruction of the upper airway and/or heavy snoring, it is sometimes referred to as Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). In this pamphlet, we’ll focus on Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as it is the most common form of sleep apnea.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
The most common signs and symptoms include ;
• Snoring
• Waking up Tired
• Dry Mouth/Throat
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Fatigue
• Weight Gain
• Sleepiness
• Irritability
If a young child habitually mouth-breathes or exhibits any of these indications. it is especially important to have them evaluated as these conditions have a significant negative impact on the development and form of oral-facial structure. It
is also interesting to note that some studies have shown that sleep-disordered breathing is common among children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
How is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?
Because of the potentially serious aspects of sleep apnea, you should start with a medical examination and evaluation of your condition.
Talk to your dentist who can refer you to a qualified physician with specialized training in the field of sleep medicine. Evaluation can range from an examination of your airway to an overnight sleep study called a Polysomnogram (PSG), followed by treatment that could be in tandem with your dentist.
What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
OSA describes an effort to breathe, but there is a physical obstruction of the airway causing apnea. It may be caused by a collapse of the soft tissue at the back of the mouth and in the throat, sometimes related to the inability to properly breathe through your nose. If the jaw is too small to accommodate the tongue, the tongue tends to fall back, further restricting your airway. This constriction impedes airflow. As you inhale and exhale. the tissue of the throat vibrates and causes the sound of snoring. The tissue gets flabbier over time. In more severe cases, when apnea occurs stop breathing for 10 seconds or more. When breathing stops, blood oxygen levels fall, forcing the heart to work harder, and causing blood pressure to rise. While this may disturb the sleep cycle, the person often does not fully wake up but feels tired in the morning. Some of the conditions associated with OSA include high blood pressure. obesity, heart disease, gastric reflux, depression, and diabetes. While OSA contributes to these conditions, they in turn worsen OSA, forming a vicious cycle. It is important to note that you don’t have to be overweight to have OSA.
What are Some Options for Treating OSA?
For many moderate cases of OSA, a custom-fitted oral appliance prepared by your dentist can offer effective treatment. In more serious cases. surgery to remove obstructions or to stiffen the flabby throat tissue may be recommended for treatment. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is another choice for treatment. This means wearing a mask while sleeping that is connected to a small device that maintains positive air pressure, pushing air into your lungs. However. although painless and effective, some patients and their partners do not tolerate sleeping with the CPAP machine very well.
What is the dentist’s Role in Treatment?
Properly trained dentists can make custom-fitted oral appliances that are worn over the teeth at night to prevent the jaw from falling back during sleep, keeping the airway open. If you or someone you know exhibits any of the symptoms listed in this pamphlet, be sure to bring it to our attention. We can provide further information about this potentially serious condition. You could save a life!
