No one knows your smile, and that state of your health in general, better than you do. One of the key things that our Saint Louis dentists always encourage patients to do is to monitor and record any changes that may occur in their mouths and bodies in general. When you make a habit of keeping track of oral health changes, you can let your dentist know about issues right away—before they become serious.
It is with this mind that our dentists have put together this list of common sleep apnea symptoms. Take a look at this list, and then let your dentist know if you have started to notice any of these problems in your own daily life.
A quick reminder: sleep apnea is a condition in which a patient’s airway becomes blocked by oral tissues as he or she sleeps. This prevents the patient from breathing normally, and thus deprives the person of oxygen. In order to restore healthy oxygen levels, the person will wake up suddenly to kick start the breathing process.
So what might you notice if you suffer from sleep apnea?
1. General fatigue—sleep apnea prevents you from getting the restful sleep that you need, so you’ll probably feel tired during the day.
2. Headaches—sleep apnea patients are prone to headaches—especially in the morning and at night—due to sleep deprivation as well as muscle tension.
3. Loud snoring—this is hallmark sign of sleep apnea.
4. Concentration problems—if you find that you feel foggy during the day, or that you have memory problems, it could be related to sleep apnea.
If you notice these issue popping up in your own life, please do not wait to seek treatment. Our Saint Louis sleep apnea dentists have the treatments you need to stay well.