If you are having difficulty sleeping, or are finding yourself constantly fatigued throughout the day, who should you call? You would probably be surprised to hear that the best source of assistance may be your dentist. But why? Recently there has been an increased awareness on a well-known yet often poorly understood sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. Fortunately the dentists at South Park Dental Group in Orlando, are now able to offer an effective solution to this problem.
It is important to determine whether you are suffering from this condition. Sleep apnea events occur when your breathing is obstructed while you are sleeping. This is most commonly caused by the tissues of your throat relaxing to the point of restricting your airway. This keeps you from achieving restful sleep as your brain is constantly forced into action throughout the night to ensure that you keep breathing.
While the only way to achieve a definitive diagnosis is through a clinical sleep study, there are some signs that are known as being strong indicators of sleep apnea. These include:
• Chronic snoring
• Daytime fatigue
• Headaches upon waking
• High blood pressure
• Irritability
The most common treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP) machine. However, many find this apparatus to be uncomfortable and make sleeping even more difficult. Recent years we have seen the development of more effective and less-invasive alternatives, such as dental devices that help hold your jaw in position throughout the night. Our dentists can fit you for such a device in just a few visits, allowing you to get back to enjoying rejuvenating sleep once again.
More than robbing you of a peaceful night of rest, sleep apnea can contribute to a deterioration to your overall state of health. Yet the staff at Southpark Dental Group can offer you a minimally intrusive method to overcome this condition. To schedule an appointment to discuss sleep apnea treatment, call our office today.