Many people who suffer from sleep apnea do not realize that they have this affliction for years. That is because the symptoms of sleep apnea are easily confused with symptoms of other disorders, or they are chalked up to simply living a busy life. Our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentist office wants to empower you to recognize and treat sleep apnea in its earliest stages. So today we are going to be reviewing some of the signs of sleep apnea for which you should look out.
What is sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a disorder in which a sleeping patient’s airway becomes blocked by relaxed oral tissues. Consequently, the patient’s oxygen level dips—often the patient wakes up slightly to restart his or her breathing process when oxygen levels dip to a critical level.
Obviously it is very important that you are able to maintain optimum oxygen levels as you sleep. Sleep apnea airway obstruction will lead to:
· Loud and disruptive snoring—many patients actually find out that they are suffering from sleep apnea because their snoring keeps their spouses up at night.
· Frequent headaches, especially upon waking
· Chronic fatigue—this may lead to problems with attention and focus, as well as mood swings
· Waking up with a dry mouth and throat
If you have already noticed any of these signs of sleep apnea, please don’t hesitate to seek the treatment you need. There are straightforward, non-invasive treatments that will improve your breathing efficiency. The sooner that you contact your dentist, the better your long-term sleep apnea prognosis will be.
Our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists are here to provide you with all of the sleep apnea care you need. Give our office a call or submit your contact information through our website to contact our caring dental team today!