Sleep apnea. It’s a condition that affects nearly 22 million Americans, many of whom don’t even realize they have it. Unfortunately, the side effects of sleep apnea are very serious, and when left untreated, the condition puts the health of sufferers at great risk. If you or a loved one are dealing with the exhausting repercussions of poor sleep but don’t know why, continue reading to learn about sleep apnea and put yourself on the road to recovery at Mt Holly Family Dentistry in 2016.
December 30, 2015
Why Sleep Apnea Puts Mt Holly Residents in Danger
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June 25, 2015
Sleep Apnea Help in Mt. Holly, NJ
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) effects millions of Americans every year, but CPAP therapy may not be the only solution. Many OSA sufferers notice significant relief by using a small dental appliance. If you suffer from OSA, a visit to the dental team at Mt. Holly Family Dentistry may do you more good than an appointment with a sleep specialist. Find out more about sleep apnea therapy from Mt. Holly Family Dentistry today. Call to schedule a consolation or an appointment for any of our other dental health care services with one of our skilled dental professionals.
Sleep Apnea Signs and Symptoms
Patients who suffer from sleep apnea exhibit a wide range of symptoms, and can be misdiagnosed for years. Seek sleep apnea care if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Excessive tiredness throughout the day
- Inability to remain alert or pay attention
- Loud, continual snoring
- Cessation of breathing during sleep
- Frequently awakening during the night or trouble staying asleep
- Awakening short of breath
- Dry mouth, sore threat, or headache in the morning
While mild or moderate occurrences of these warning signs may not be indicative of OSA, see a physician if snoring wakes you or others from sleep, if you wake frequently unable to catch your breath, or your daytime sleepiness causes you to fall asleep at inappropriate times.
Sleep Apnea Left Untreated
Those who suffer from OSA without treatment are more likely to develop numerous chronic illnesses such as:
- Elevated blood pressure
- Heart failure or arrhythmia
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Depression
- ADHD
As you sleep, your body is able to do the work of memory consolidation, cell regeneration, and other bodily healing and repair. Thus, when you don’t get enough sleep, you begin to feel confused and have poor memory because your mind doesn’t have the chance to properly organize and store the events of the previous day. This can contribute to developing depression or ADHD. Other diseases common among long time OSA sufferers are the result of lack of cell regeneration, and excessive strain without repair time.
CPAP Treatment
You may think that sleep apnea is only treatable with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy. While this is an effective treatment for both obstructive and central sleep apnea, many patients find it difficult to adjust to sleeping with CPAP machines in place. CPAP consists of a machine that continually pumps air into the mouth and throat through a facial mask. This air ensures that your sleep will be unobstructed. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, there may be a better option.
Snore Guards in Mt. Holly, NJ
A small dental appliance, sometimes called snore guards, can be used to open your airway as you sleep. These small oral appliances move the jaw forward and the tongue away from the back of the throat. This shift in positioning removes the blockage that leads to sleep apnea, letting you rest peacefully throughout the night.
Find Out More
If you want to know more about how Mt. Holly Family Dentistry can help you overcome sleep apnea, call to schedule an appointment today. Our convenient Mt. Holly, NJ practice welcomes patients from surrounding areas including Westampton, Hainesport, Lumberton, Springfield, and Pemberton.
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April 28, 2015
Snore Guards for Mt. Holly, NJ
When you get into bed each night, do you look forward to a quiet and restful night of reinvigorating sleep? Or, is your night filled with either the sound of loud snoring or are you the one constantly hearing the words, “Stop snoring”? No matter which one is you, you’re not getting the quality sleep you need at night to have a safe and productive day. Let the dentists and their team at Mt. Holly Family Dentistry help. We prescribe snore guards Mt. Holly, NJ, uses to restore peace and quiet and provide rejuvenating sleep.
Snoring in Mt. Holly, NJ
There’s snoring and then there’s snoring. What we mean is snoring can be a sign of a more serious condition called sleep apnea. This chronic condition actually causes breathing to stop at intervals during the night. However, those intervals can come as frequently as once every minute, which—needless to say—can be quite disturbing to sleep.
The most common form of this bothersome and life-threatening condition is obstructive sleep apnea. In this case, the tongue and other soft tissue in the throat relax during sleep and tend to fall back against your airway. Hence, breathing is blocked and snoring ensues. And while you may not realize you’ve stopped breathing, your brain certainly knows and signals the body to wake up in order to restart breathing.
Not only do these interruptions in breathing add up to hours of lost sleep, they can also lead to serious health consequences including high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, obesity, diabetes and depression.
Stop Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Although the gold standard in treating snoring and sleep apnea has been the continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine, there is another alternative that works and is much less obtrusive. At Mt. Holly Family Dentistry we can prescribe a custom-fitted oral appliance. Oral appliances are very effective in opening the airway. These appliances shift the lower jaw forward. Bringing the jaw forward moves the tongue away from the back of the throat, thereby removing the blockage that impedes breathing.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you suspect that you or the person lying next to each night may have sleep apnea then call Mt. Holly Family Dentistry. With snore guards, Mt. Holly, NJ, will sleep peacefully again. We also serve patients from Westampton, Hainesport, Lumberton, Springfield, Pemberton, and the neighboring areas.
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