When Margie came into our Saint Louis dentist office, she simply needed to have a cavity filled. While we were working on her smile, Margie mentioned that she had regularly been experiencing jaw and head pain on the left side of her head. After talking to her about her pain in greater depth, our dental team strongly encouraged Margie to be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea.
What kinds of sleep apnea symptoms was Margie experiencing?
1. Chronic headaches and head/neck pain
Margie was dealing with headaches when she woke up, and at night. She also felt muscle tightens and pain in her neck and ear area.
2. Loud snoring
Margie’s husband had told her that she was snoring disruptively every night. In fact, Margie was sometimes snoring so aggressively that she woke herself up!
3. Dry mouth
When Margie woke in the morning, her mouth was bone dry. This was not only uncomfortable, it was also causing her to suffer from bad breath.
4. Fatigue
Sleep apnea was preventing Margie from completing healthy REM sleep cycles. As a result, she was consistently feeling tired and run down.
Once Margie completed a sleep apnea screening, our dental team was able to outfit her with a custom crafted sleep apnea mouthpiece. This oral appliance was designed just for Margie—it helped to keep her mouth in a healthy position, so that her airway stayed open when she was asleep.
In a matter of days Margie noticed an improvement in her sleep apnea symptoms. She was feeling better, and her husband was getting a better night’s sleep too! Now Margie is able to manage her sleep apnea with her easy-to-use oral appliance.
If you think that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, please feel free to contact our Saint Louis sleep apnea dentists to get more information and treatment recommendations. We are here to help you every step of the way!