Sleep Dentist in Valparaiso Has Solutions to Help You Breathe Easier

Do you suffer from chronic snoring? Maybe you wake frequently throughout the night or live with morning time headaches? If so, your poor sleep quality could be due to an underlying disorder that affects more than 200,000 people each year. Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes multiple pauses in breathing frequently throughout the night, most often due to an obstruction in the airway. While it may seem like a lack of sleep is the only concern, leaving it untreated can cause serious health complications, like heart disease. To protect your quality of life and general health, a sleep dentist in Valparaiso has the solutions you need.

Prevent the Complications of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can occur in anyone, no matter your age, gender, or ethnicity; however, there are several factors that can increase your risks for developing it, such as obesity, a large neck size, or gastroesophageal reflux.

To prevent the disorder, it is best to maintain a healthy weight and treat any underlying medical issues promptly. If the disorder does develop, do not let the symptoms go ignored or you may suffer from potentially deadly complications, like a heart attack or stroke.

Although the most common signs involve waking frequently throughout the night choking or gasping for air, chronic snoring, or waking with a headache, the complications of leaving it untreated are more severe. As the airways collapse, it causes you to stop breathing frequently while sleeping. This deprives your body of oxygen, impacting your health and quality of life.

Among the greatest risk is the development of heart disease from the stain the lack of oxygen places on your heart. You may become irritable and find it difficult to enjoy your day due to fatigue.

Over time, decreased sleep quality can lead to sleep deprivation. As this occurs, your cognitive abilities decline, increasing your risk for workplace and auto accidents. In addition, it can lead to irritability, mood changes, and depression.

Restore Your Quality of Life

To protect your health and quality of life, it is best to seek treatment for sleep apnea at the onset of symptoms. After undergoing a sleep study, a diagnosis can be given to provide you with the treatment you need.

In addition to reducing the underlying factors that may be causing the condition, like excessive weight, it is often recommended to use an oral appliance. This is a custom-fit device that is like an athletic mouthguard; however, instead of protecting the teeth, it repositions the jaw forward to keep the airways open.

An oral appliance has been shown to be effective for treating mild to moderate cases of the disorder. However, for more advanced cases, a combination of a CPAP machine and an oral appliance may be needed. A CPAP is a machine that delivers a steady stream of air through the nose to keep the airways open.

With the right treatment, you can improve your sleep quality and protect your health from complications.

About Smiles of Valparaiso & Associates

It is our mission to deliver exceptional dental care to enhance the oral health and quality of life for our patients. In addition to general dentistry, we also provide treatment for sleep apnea. If you need an effective treatment solution, contact our office today to schedule a consultation.