Do you experience daytime fatigue, headaches, or have difficulty concentrating? These symptoms can be warning signs of sleep-disordered breathing or sleep apnea, which means you may be experiencing repeated interruptions of breathing during sleep. Light snoring can also be a warning sign of a sleep disorder. Chronic, heavy, loud snoring may signal a condition called obstructive sleep apnea which is frequently associated with hypertension and even stroke and cardiopulmonary problems. Most people who have sleep apnea – a special type of snoring in which oxygen intake is actually halted for several seconds – do not realize the harmful side effects that it can have. Poor supply of oxygen to the brain, heart problems, high blood pressure, and increased risk for tooth decay all go hand in hand.
Children can be affected too – studies show upwards of 20% of all children exhibit snoring and severe tooth grinding (sleep bruxism) and of this group, 20% will have the more sever forms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Clinical symptoms of untreated sleep disorders may include excessive daytime sleepiness, failure to thrive, bed wetting, behavioral problems and other symptoms.
Sleep apnea is more common than you might think. Utilizing the state-of-the-art technology available in our office (Cone-beam 3D and Watch-Pat, an ambulatory home sleep study appliance) I have helped diagnose more than 9 patients with sleep apnea in just the past month. Many people are not aware that their dentist may be the first health care provider to identify sleep apnea because its salient signs and symptoms often are recognizable in the dental office. I have been specifically trained in sleep medicine and will work with you and your physician to diagnose a sleep disorder.
It is critical to you, your spouse or your child’s health to be diagnosed!
