Have you ever felt tired when you woke up after a good night’s sleep? It may come as a surprise that your dentist could help you sleep better tomorrow.
Dental sleep medicine is a new area that uses tooth tools to treat breathing problems that happen at night, like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring. A dentist in Pleasanton,CA, can offer a wide range of dental services, such as dental sleep medicine.
Understanding sleep apnea – what is it?
People often have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disease in which their airway frequently stops or narrows while they sleep. This makes it hard for you to breathe, so you wake up gasping for air.
These problems can happen hundreds of times a night, making you tired even after a full night’s sleep. Bad health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke can also be caused by OSA.
The silent snore is much more than just a nuisance.
Snoring is often a sign of OSA, but it can also happen by itself. Even though your partner might find your snoring funny, it can keep you from sleeping and make you tired during the day. It might also make it hard for your partner to sleep.
How can dentistry help with this?
This is where dentist sleep medicine comes in. Dentists who are trained in this area can make unique mouthpieces that can help treat both snoring and OSA. When you wear these while you sleep, they keep your mouth open by gently moving your jaw or tongue.
Oral tools come in two main types:
- With mandibular advancement devices (MADs), your lower jaw is held slightly forward. This helps open up your mouth and keeps it from closing while you sleep.
- Tongue-stabilizing devices (TSDs) keep your tongue forward so it does not get in the way of your breathing.
The benefits of oral appliance therapy.
For mild to severe OSA and snoring, oral device therapy is a safe and successful way to help. While CPAP units (continuous positive breathing pressure) are more common, mouth aids are often more comfy and easy to wear. Some benefits are:
- Better quality of sleep
- Less daily tiredness
- Not snoring as much Better health all around More energy
- More focus and a better mood
- Better relationships because noise does not bother other people as much
- Less likely to have major health problems related to OSA
Some additional things you should think about for oral appliance therapy.
Oral device treatment is often a good choice, but here are some things you should think about:
- Fit and comfort: For the best comfort and efficiency, it is important to have a device that fits well. To get the best fit, you may need to make changes on a regular basis.
- Maintenance: It is important to take good care of and clean your oral device so that bacteria does not build up and it keeps working well.
- Effectiveness: Oral tools can work very well for many people, but they might not be right for everyone, especially those with serious OSA.
Dental sleep medicine could help you get a good night’s sleep and feel better faster than you think. Talk to your doctor right now to start getting healthy and happy.
Is dental sleep medicine right for you?
Talk to your doctor if you think you might have sleep apnea or if you snore a lot. They can check to see if you have any sleep problems and see if you would benefit from mouth appliance treatment. If they think it is necessary, they can send you to a sleep expert for more tests.
Dental sleep medicine could help you get a good night’s sleep and feel better faster than you think. Talk to your doctor right now to start getting healthy and happy. Do not let your sleep problems ruin your day. Make an appointment with the dentist today to keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright.
