Sleep apnea is a common sleep condition that affects millions of Americans each year. Sufferers experience frequent episodes of breathing cessations, gasping for air and often snoring during the night. While this can make for a rocky night’s sleep, there are serious setbacks to your overall health if your sleep apnea goes untreated. What many patients don’t know, however, is that mild to moderate sleep apnea can be treated by a dentist and without the use of a bulky CPAP machine.
What is Sleep Apnea?
For those that have sleep apnea, the airway gets blocked during sleep. This causes you to briefly stop breathing and wake up gasping for air. According to FamilyDoctor.org, “people who have sleep apnea stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they are sleeping. These short stops in breathing can happen up to 400 times every night.”
What is at Stake?
Untreated sleep apnea is associated with consequences that affect your physical and emotional wellbeing. What happens in the night while you sleep rarely goes unpunished during the day. In the case of sleep apnea, your condition can lead to the following:
- Daytime Fatigue/Poor Concentration
- Memory Problems
- Weakened Immune System
- Depression
- Adult Asthma
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes
- Acid Reflux
A Dentist Who Treats It Best
Have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea but don’t want to wear a CPAP machine while you sleep? Consider oral appliance therapy from a trusted sleep apnea dentist. Dr. Paul Gilreath of Marietta is an accredited member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. He works closely with many ENT and Pulmonology groups to ensure you get effective and safe relief from your sleep apnea. To further your convenience, we can create top quality dental appliances right in our office. Gilreath Family Dentistry is equipped with advanced digital technology that allows us to create digital impressions of teeth and then use 3D printing to create mouthguards, retainers, models and other dental appliances.
Call today to learn more about treating your sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy at Gilreath Family Dentistry!
Posted on behalf of Dr. Paul Gilreath IV,
