If you experience poor sleep, feel tired throughout the day, notice that you have difficulty breathing while you sleep, have been told that you snore, or you have enlarged tonsils, you might have sleep apnea. If you suffer from sleep apnea, you are certainly not alone. While a common condition, it is dangerous to your overall health and should be treated. River Harmony Dental is pleased to offer an assessment, including prescription for effective sleep apnea testing! Once assessed, you may be prescribed an oral appliance, which can treat sleep apnea and prevent the common physical effects to your teeth, including wear and tear.
Your Cochrane Choice for Sleep Apnea Assessment!
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a very common but serious chronic sleep disorder that involves frequent interruptions in breathing during your sleep and presents a danger in the form of oxygen deprivation. The interruptions in breathing can occur hundreds of times throughout the night and could be a result of brain malfunctions or the muscles at the very back of the throat failing to keep the airway open.
During normal breathing, air passes through the nose, and past the flexible structures in the back of the throat, which includes the soft palate, uvula, and tongue. While a person is awake, the muscles hold open this airway. While asleep, these muscles relax, and the airway usually stays open. It arises when the muscles are not able to keep the upper airway and airflow open. This results in oxygen levels dropping in both the brain and the blood, and it can have very serious health consequences if left untreated.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
- Loud snoring
- Gasping for air during sleep
- Awakening with a dry mouth
- Waking up with a headache
- Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
