Our O’Fallon Sleep Apnea Dentists Break Down How Sleep Disorders Can Harm Your Health
Many people are, right now, living with sleep apnea and they don’t even know it. That is because sleep apnea manifests, you guessed it, when you are asleep, and, as such, can be tough to recognize.
This is actually a pretty big problem, because sleep apnea can become more severe and problematic over time. That is why, today, our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists are giving you some more information about the types of problems that can result from sleep apnea. Keep reading to learn more!
When you suffer from sleep apnea, your body is not getting enough oxygen when you’re asleep. This happens because relaxed oral tissues fall into your airway while you’re asleep; this causes a physical obstruction that reduces your air intake. The physical obstruction that causes sleep apnea also often leads to loud and disruptive snoring.
Because sleep apnea causes your body to “restart” and wake up multiple times in the night, some of the earliest health problems you may notice may be related to poor sleep quality. Many sleep apnea sufferers deal with serious fatigue during the day, as well as concentration and memory problems. You may also find that you feel irritable and struggle with mood swings.
It is also very common for people to experience headaches as a result of obstructive sleep apnea. Headaches are particularly common upon waking and at night before one falls asleep. Another, often unrecognized, way that sleep apnea can damage a patient’s health is by increasing the likelihood that the patient develops cavities and gum disease. This occurs because sleep apnea often leads to chronic dry mouth; dry mouth means that your mouth does not have enough saliva, and saliva is necessary to neutralize oral bacteria re-mineralize dental enamel.
As sleep apnea goes on over time, it increases a person’s risk of suffering from a wide range of health issues. Sleep apnea patients, for example, are at a higher risk than others of suffering from heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Depression is also a commonly experienced byproduct of sleep apnea.
The sooner that a person is able to seek treatment for chronic sleep apnea, the better his or her long term prognosis is. That is why our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists strongly encourage you to stay on the lookout for these types of health issues, and reach out to our team if you need help or support!