Sleep apnea is a harmful condition that can take a toll on your sleep quality and overall wellbeing. More and more people are learning about sleep apnea, which means that more and more people are able to seek treatment for this chronic problem. Today our Saint Louis sleep apnea dentists are answering some of the questions that we commonly hear from sleep apnea patients.
Q: How do I know if I have sleep apnea?
A: The best way to know for sure is to complete a sleep study. A sleep study allows our team to understand what, precisely, is happening with your breathing during the night. Prior to a sleep study, there are some key red flags that can indicate sleep apnea: obstructive snoring, fatigue, headaches, dry mouth upon waking, and daytime concentration problems.
Q: How do I make sleep apnea go away?
A: There are some lifestyle changes that you can make in order to decrease your likelihood of suffering from sleep apnea. If, for example, you care currently overweight, your sleep apnea may abate as you get in better shape. However, for many people, sleep apnea is a condition that requires professional medical treatment. The traditional treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is a CPAP machine, which helps to force air through your airway during the night. Our team treats sleep apnea with small, easier to use oral appliances, which help to position your jaw in such a way as to facilitate healthy airflow.
Q: What happens if I don’t do anything about my sleep apnea?
A: We can’t say for sure, but generally this isn’t recommended. You will probably continue to suffer from inconvenient problems like memory issues, headaches, fatigue, and loud snoring. More alarmingly, there is mounting evidence that sleep apnea patients are at a greater risk of suffering from a wide range of whole-body health issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and stroke.
If you think that you may be dealing with sleep apnea related health issues, our Saint Louis dentists are here to help you in any way that we can. Please call our helpful team in order to set up a consultation!