Many of us feel like we don’t get enough sleep at night, but for some people it’s actually a medical concern. If you constantly feel like you’re not rested in the morning after a full night’s sleep, you might be struggling with sleep apnea and not even know it. Sleep apnea is a common disorder that we’re proud to treat here at Artistry in Dentistry.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a dangerous sleep disorder where you stop breathing in your sleep. This can happen in a couple different ways. Most commonly, this occurs when your throat muscles relax too much and the soft tissues in the back of your throat block your airway. It can also be caused by your brain failing to send the proper signals through your body to breathe.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Though you may notice when you don’t feel rested, not many people can tell whether or not they’ve stopped breathing in the night. Some of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea are the following:
- Loud snoring.
- Feeling unrested after a full night of sleep.
- Trouble staying asleep.
- Waking up with dry mouth.
In addition to showing these symptoms, you may be more at risk for sleep apnea if it runs in your family, if your nasal passage is already blocked due to allergies or other problems, if you are a male, or many other traits. If you are concerned, you can go to a sleep clinic to diagnose whether or not you have it, then call us to help come up with a treatment plan for you!
Additional Health Risks of Sleep Apnea
Besides the general symptoms of unrest, sleep apnea can also affect other areas of your life and health.
Sleep apnea can cause:
- Memory loss.
- Mood swings.
- Falling asleep while driving or working.
- Muscle tremors.
- Headaches.
- Fatigue.
- Loud snores.
- Unexplained weight gain.
Sleep apnea can also lead to other health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart problems. This is all worth thinking about, because an effective sleep apnea treatment can stop these painful, dangerous symptoms from occurring. Imagine regaining your ability to rest, experiencing headache relief, having better mental performance, and much more.
Benefits of Sleep Apnea Treatment
Benefits of Sleep Apnea TreatmentIf you have been suffering from sleep apnea, the benefits of correcting it can be dramatic. You can experience profound relief by getting enough rest, having newfound energy, getting an elevated mood, and much more.
At Artistry in Dentistry, we know how tired you may be. That’s why we even screen for signs of airway obstruction at your regular checkups to make sure you’re in good health all around. If anything looks questionable, Dr. Sullivan may refer you to an ENT for you to have a sleep study performed at a specialized sleep lab.
If your sleep study results show that you do need to come back for a sleep apnea solution, our friendly team members will treat you with compassion, keeping you comfortable and explaining what we are doing. We’ll give you respect and be sure that we are only performing the services you choose.
The Sleep Apnea Mouth Guard
You might wonder how a dentist can perform sleep apnea treatment. Many times, sleep apnea is caused by certain tissues around the throat, which can change shape as we age. These contact each other during sleep, causing snoring that interrupts sleep and leads to fatigue and other problems.
This type of sleep apnea can be corrected with a customized sleep apnea mouth guard. It will gently reposition your jaw to open your airway more. This can simply eliminate those snores, giving you better oxygen flow during your sleep and letting you rest.
Hate Your CPAP?
The CPAP machine works for some patients who have sleep apnea. However, not everyone enjoys trying to sleep with a machine covering their mouth. And sometimes it is not very effective for certain patients. You might not be able to fall asleep with a machine next to you, or your sleep apnea might be of a different type that is not effectively treated with a CPAP.
That’s why you should try a sleep apnea mouth guard—one of the best CPAP alternatives. It is so easy to use. Instead of being hooked up to a machine every night, you will simply put the guard in your mouth. If it is right for you, you’ll lay back and get restful sleep once again.
For an Excellent Sleep Apnea Dentist, Visit Top Phoenix Dentist Dr. Sullivan!
Dr. Sullivan is a member of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. He understands his patients’ needs, and has been voted the Phoenix Top Dentist for 10 consecutive years! Come see why Dr. Sullivan is a trusted dentist in Gilbert, Arizona.
Sleep Well With Artistry in Dentistry
Let us help you get the rest you deserve! If you think you may be struggling with sleep apnea, call us to talk to one of our doctors and get more information. We can help you sleep better at night!
