How Does Sleep Apnea Affect Your Health?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder with serious impacts on your health and general well-being. Our team at Highlight Family Dentistry is pleased to offer sleep apnea treatments, including oral appliance therapy, to restore your restful, rejuvenating sleep and enhance your quality of life. You can always count on us for exceptional, compassionate care that exceeds your expectations.
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea, the most prevalent form of which is known as Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is a common yet destructive sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing throughout the night. It results from the soft tissues in the back of the throat collapsing in your sleep and blocking your upper airway.
The brain, sensing oxygen deprivation, wakes you up briefly to breathe once again. These breathing interruptions and the sleep-wake cycle can occur dozens or even hundreds of times through the night, sometimes lasting more than 10 seconds each time, with serious health consequences. Many patients remain unaware that they have sleep apnea until they are alerted by a partner or family member.
How Can Sleep Apnea Impact Your Health?
The following are some of the ways sleep apnea can impact your health:
- Cardiovascular Disease: Constant oxygen deprivation and strain on the blood vessels and heart can increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and even heart attacks.
- Metabolic Disorders: The stress on the body from sleep apnea can lead to insulin resistance, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
- Worsened Chronic Conditions: Sleep apnea has been shown to worsen existing health problems, such as asthma, glaucoma, and even chronic kidney disease.
- Cognitive and Mental Concerns: Chronic sleep deprivation and low oxygen levels can cause daytime fatigue, trouble concentrating, constant mood swings, and an increased risk of depression.
- Increased Risk of Accidents: Severe daytime sleepiness can impair your focus and reaction time, significantly increasing your risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.
- Reduced Quality of Life: The constant lack of restorative sleep can lead to irritability, poor memory, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and an overall lower quality of life.
What Are Signs of Sleep Apnea?
The following are the most common signs of sleep apnea:
- Loud snoring and waking up often, choking or gasping for breath
- Frequent morning headaches and daytime fatigue
- Teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism)
- Difficulty focusing on tasks
- Anxiety, irritability, or moodiness
- Unexplained weight gain
What Are Treatments for Sleep Apnea?
Treating sleep apnea begins with a diagnosis, which usually requires a sleep study. Traditional treatment involves the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which delivers pressurized air through a mask to help keep the airway open during sleep. However, many patients find that the machine is noisy and cumbersome, and don’t find the needed relief.
At Highlight Family Dentistry, we proudly offer Vivos oral appliance therapy to address the underlying causes of your concerns, providing real, lasting relief in as few as 12 months.
- Vivos DNA: This “Daytime-Nighttime Appliance” involves wearing an oral appliance, similar to a retainer, to gently expand the upper arch and increase the size of the nasal cavity. This helps move the lower arch, tongue, and soft tissues into a more favorable position, helping keep the airway open during sleep.
- Vivos mRNA: This “Mandibular Repositioning Nighttime Appliance” helps gently shift the lower jaw forward to align it with your upper jaw. It also helps expand your upper jaw and hard palate, opening up your airway.
- Vivos mmRNA: The “Modified-Mandibular Repositioning Nighttime Appliance” keeps the lower jaw in a forward position, maintaining an open airway. It also helps expand the lower or upper jaw and palate to widen the airway, providing you with lasting relief.
Sleep Apnea Treatments Near Me in Hutto, TX
Looking for proven sleep apnea solutions? Contact Highlight Family Dentistry to learn more about combating the effects of sleep apnea on your health with the help of oral appliance therapy. Our highly experienced team will evaluate your unique needs and recommend the ideal Vivos oral appliance to restore your restful sleep. We invite you to call (512) 886-2644 to schedule an appointment or book one online today!