If you wake up with headaches, feel fatigued all day, experience loud snoring, or other signs of sleep apnea, you need a sleep apnea study and diagnosis.
The great news: There are real solutions to sleep apnea, found in devices, such as the sleep apnea mouth guard, which we supply at our local dentist office in San Jose.
If you’re not getting enough rest, call Advanced Dentistry by Design today. We’ll connect you with a sleep apnea test and a path to better sleep.
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
Most people who have sleep apnea symptoms have a variation called obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. This condition:
- Causes the patient to stop breathing for 10–30 seconds at a time, many times per night.
- May partially wake up a patient each time they gasp for air, taking away restful sleep.
- Is caused by a blockage that slows down airflow and breathing, often in the throat.
- Happens when the patient falls asleep and throat muscles relax.
- May cause loud snoring or gasping sounds.
There is also central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea that are caused by other issues, such as nerve problems.
Obstructive sleep apnea is much more than just holding your breath a few times. The lack of oxygen and rest during the night can lead to many other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, including:
- Trouble concentrating during the day.
- Struggling to stay awake while driving or working.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Lower sex drive.
- Headaches—mild to severe.
- A sore throat or dry mouth in the morning.
- Bothering people near you from loud snoring or gasping.
- Irritability, depression, or other mood issues.
Snoring alone doesn’t guarantee you have obstructive sleep apnea. You might snore a little but not hold your breath or have interrupted sleep.
If someone in your family notices that you snore and then stay silent for long periods repeatedly, that is sometimes a clue that you have OSA.
How Do Sleep Apnea Devices Help to Stop Snoring and Treat Sleep Apnea?
How can an oral device fix sleep apnea? How can we overcome a blockage in your throat? Here are some sleep apnea cures that work for some patients.
Mouth Guards
Have you seen athletes put mouth guards over their teeth? A mouth guard for snoring and sleep apnea is a smaller, lighter version of that.
It doesn’t need to be bulky, because we’re not protecting your teeth. Instead, an oral appliance for sleep apnea:
- Moves your jaw into a better position.
- Moves tissues around the throat further apart.
- Opens the airway, allowing you to breathe easily while you sleep.
Your sleep apnea dentist will examine your throat tissues and your bite movement, finding out if this solution will work for you.
Then, we’ll have it customized for your jaw movements. No one else will have your exact mouth guard. And you could start sleeping better immediately when you use it.
Tongue Stabilizing or Retaining Device
For some patients, their tongue falls a little into their throats as they sleep, creating a blockage. A tongue retaining device keeps the tongue away from the throat, improving breathing.
What Is a CPAP?
The CPAP is another common sleep apnea machine. Prescribed since the 1980s, this bedside machine pushes air into the lungs past obstructions.
Patients wear a mask over their nose and mouth when they go to bed with a tube running out to the machine. Many patients have to sleep on their back, although it’s sometimes possible to sleep on your side.
Pros
The advantages of a breathing machine for sleep apnea include immediately stopping your snoring, giving you better sleep, improving blood pressure, and improving alertness and mood.
Cons
The major disadvantage of the CPAP is that some patients just stop using theirs. They don’t like the sound of a machine next to their bed or the feeling of a sleep apnea mask or tubes.
They might also get a sore or dry mouth in the morning, sinus issues, discomfort in the chest or stomach, and skin irritation.
Your doctor can relieve some of these problems with a face mask cushion, a humidifier, nasal spray, and other fixes. On the other hand, if you really don’t like the CPAP approach, an oral appliance may work better for you.
Get the Sleep You Need With a Sleep Appliance Mouth Guard
If you need better rest to have a full and rich life, come to the dentist office. We’ve been practicing sleep dentistry for years at Advanced Dentistry by Design.
During a FREE sleep apnea consultation, your family dentist will understand your issues, connect you with a sleep apnea study, and explain our sleep apnea solutions. Call now to take a step toward great rest.