Greenhaven Family Dental

Why You Should Ask Your Dentist About Sleep Apnea

If you spent an entire night without sleeping, then you would probably be aware of it, and the extreme tiredness the next day wouldn’t exactly be a mystery. In some cases, however, your mind and body can be deprived of the rest they need without your realization, leading to symptoms of sleep deprivation when you believe that you’re sleeping soundly. Today, we explain how obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can interrupt your sleep cycle without fully waking you up, and why you should ask your dentist about sleep apnea treatment if you snore excessively.

Why You Feel Sleep Deprived

Sleep is your mind and body’s method of resting and restoring energy. When you lose sleep, or just don’t get enough of it, your mind and body can begin to slow down and show the effects of fatigue. Obstructive sleep apnea describes a condition during which the tissues in your mouth and throat relax in your sleep and press together, leaving little space in your airway. Snoring often occurs as air passes through this small space and causes the tissues to vibrate. If these tissues relax and compress too much, they can close your airway completely and force you to stop breathing. After ten seconds or more, your mind panics and wakes your body enough to restart the breathing process, though the disturbance is typically not enough to rouse you from consciousness. Nevertheless, the cycle of disruption can occur hundreds of times a night, depriving your mind and body of the chance to enter deep sleep and receive the rest they need.

How to Know if You Have Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is marked by extremely loud snoring and is usually brought to a patient’s attention by an annoyed sleeping partner. Aside from your partner’s feedback, however, there are other subtle signs that can hint at the presence of the sleep disorder. If you suffer from any of the following signs of sleep deprivation, though you don’t recall lying awake at night, then obstructive sleep apnea may be a distinct possibility;

Learn More About Treating Sleep Apnea

If you have sleep apnea, then seek treatment as soon as possible by speaking with your dentist. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, call our office in Baxter, MN at (218) 454-0523. We proudly welcome patients from Brainerd, Little Falls, Staples, Crosby-Ironton-Deerwood, and all surrounding communities.

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