Have you been waking up to headaches and fatigue? No matter how many hours of sleep you get, does it feel like it’s never enough? Has your family grown tired of your irritability, or your boss frustrated by your inability to focus? Are you suffering from dry mouth, sore throat, or even teeth grinding? Has your snoring become so loud, you’ve been forced to sleep on the couch? If so, did you know that these could all be related to a single condition, Obstructive Sleep Apnea? As with any sleeping disorder, OSA can create a host of problems for your overall health, due to its ill effects on the quality of your sleep. Fortunately, your dentist may be able to help treat your sleep apnea.
Signs and Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
There are a number of potential warning signs that you could be struggling with OSA, one of the most commonly known is snoring. However, many patients fail to recognize that these symptoms could be related, which can lead them to suffer in silence before ever seeking diagnosis or treatment.
Here are a few of the warning signs of OSA:
- Problems breathing, such as shortness of breath or gasping for air
- Memory loss, problems concentrating
- Irritability and depression
- Chronic dry mouth, sore throat
The Ways Your Dentist Can Help Improve Your Sleep
Sleep apnea is caused when the airways become blocked as one sleeps, causing a person to strain for air. This is what creates the loud snoring, and drastically reduces the quality of one’s sleep.
Fortunately, dentists can often help treat OSA through the use of a sleep appliance, which helps keep the jaw in a position that allows for more easy and consistent airflow. This appliance is often a fast and minimally invasive treatment option for sufferers of OSA.
About Your Spring, TX, Sleep Experts:
At Stephens and Gatewood Dentistry, located in Spring, TX, we proudly deliver modern, quality dental care in a welcoming, comfortable environment to patients and families throughout the community. We also offer customized, expert sleep solutions to help you alleviate snoring and sleep apnea symptoms. Though we are located in Spring, we also welcome patients from Houston, The Woodlands, Tomball, Cypress, and all surrounding communities. To schedule a consultation with one of our experts, call Stephens and Gatewood Dentistry today at 281-320-2000. Se Habla Espanol!
