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People who snore loudly are often the target of bad jokes and middle of the night elbow thrusts. Snoring, however, is no laughing matter. While loud disruptive snoring is a social problem that may strain relationships, loud habitual snoring may signal a potentially life threatening disorder - obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Snoring does not always result in sleep apnea, but chronic snoring may indicate an underlying sleep disorder. Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, diabetes and car accidents due to sleepiness while driving. What is Snoring and Sleep Apnea? When you are asleep, the muscles and soft tissues in your throat and mouth automatically relax. The lower jaw and tongue drop back, helping block and decrease the airway opening. This results in an increase in the velocity of air flowing through your airway when you breathe. With the increased velocity of air flow, the tissues in your mouth begin to vibrate, which results in snoring. The sound you hear when someone snores is actually the sound of the tissues in your mouth vibrating. In severe cases, the collapse of the upper airway is so complete that the lungs may not receive oxygen for up to 30 seconds, which is referred to as obstructive sleep apnea. In response to the deprivation of oxygen, your body triggers an internal alarm, which partially wakes you up. This is usually accompanied by loud gasps for air that can last for 3 seconds or more until you fall asleep and the cycle begins again. Snoring can also be affected by diet, health, lifestyle, age, weight, environment and other factors. Snoring is Not Always Sleep Apnea It is important to distinguish between snoring and sleep apnea, as many people snore. It is estimated that approximately 30% to 50% of the U.S. population snore at one time or another, some significantly. Everyone has heard stories of men and women whose snoring can be heard rooms away from where they are sleeping, but it is not something to joke about. Snoring of this magnitude can cause several problems, including sleep disturbances and waking episodes sometimes caused by one's own snoring. However, snoring does not always equal sleep apnea. Sometimes it is only a social inconvenience. Still, even a social inconvenience can require treatment, and there are several options available for chronic snorers. Non-medical treatments may include:
* Weight loss
* Change of sleep position
* Avoid alcohol, caffeine and heavy meals
* Avoid sedatives Treatment Methods for Sleep Apnea In September 1995 the American Sleep Disorder Association endorsed oral appliance therapy as the third currently acceptable treatment modality for snoring and sleep apnea. The largest number of patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea is in the mild to moderate categories and should be treated with oral appliances. Despite the fact that treatment with the CPAP unit is extremely successful, there are a number of patients who cannot or choose not to wear the face mask with the attached air compressor. For these patients, oral appliances provided by a dentist trained in sleep disorders are proving to be an excellent treatment option. There are three types of oral appliances available for treatment of sleep apnea: * Soft palatal life appliance
* Tongue retraining device
* Mandibular repositioner With the help of your Sandy dentist, your snoring and sleep apnea can be treated with the use of dental devices to open your airways. No longer do you have to lose sleep over snoring or sleep apnea. Consult your dentist in Sandy for diagnosis and treatment options to alleviate your symptoms.
Dr. Nathan Chandler, Sandy cosmetic dentist, attended Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago, Illinois in 1998. After graduation, Dr. Chandler, cosmetic dentist in Sandy, practiced dentistry in Oregon until 2003, in which he returned to Utah with a wealth of knowledge to his Sandy, UT practice.
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