Talk to Your Dentist About Sleep Apnea Concerns – CPAP Is Not the Only Option

July 27, 2017

Sleep apnea is a surprisingly common problem; in fact, there is a good chance that someone you know experiences the symptoms of this condition. People may experience mild or moderate symptoms of sleep apnea and not even realize it. Feeling tired even after a full night of sleep is one indication of sleep apnea; so is heavy, ragged snoring. Sleep apnea is diagnosed by a sleep specialist, family doctor, or by a dentist. Many people never think to speak with their dentist about sleep apnea concerns.

 The Basics of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep. Under normal conditions breathing occurs without obstacle when people sleep. In someone with sleep apnea, the tongue or jaw shifts slightly and blocks the air passage. If the passage is completely blocked, a chocking sensation may occur, which causes the person to wake up slightly. If the passage is partially blocked, the result can be the deep, hoarse snoring characteristic of sleep apnea.

Even though a person with interrupted breathing may not wake up fully, their sleep is interrupted; this is why sleep apnea patients are likely to feel tired the next day. Sleep apnea is sometimes treated with the help of a CPAP device but this is not the only option.

Effective Sleep Apnea Treatments

Sounder sleep and improved health is possible! Your sleep apnea might be controlled by options such as:

• Simple lifestyle changes like losing weight or quitting smoking
• Customized dental devices that prevent jaw shifting
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device
• Surgical solutions to remove excess tissue at the back of the throat

Dr. Capps and Dr. Bowman work closely with patients to diagnosis sleep apnea and to identify the best course of treatment. If you have avoided speaking with a healthcare provider about this problem because you thought that a CPAP machine was the only solution, think again; contact Capps, Bowman, Padgett, and Associates today.

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