3118 Milton Rd, Charlotte, NC 28215
Effective Solutions for Sleep Apnea Care
Are you tired of restless nights, snoring that disrupts your sleep, or waking up feeling drained and foggy? You're not alone. Sleep apnea is a severe but often overlooked sleep disorder that affects many people right here in Charlotte, NC. It's more than just snoring—it's a condition where your breathing starts and stops during sleep, cutting off oxygen and putting stress on your body.
At East Town Dental, we understand the importance of protecting your sleep and overall health. Our mission is to help you understand the signs and explore your treatment options, and provide you with the relief and comfort you deserve.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where your breathing repeatedly pauses or becomes shallow during sleep. This interrupts your rest and lowers oxygen levels in your body. Over time, untreated sleep apnea can raise your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and mood changes.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): The most common form is caused when the throat muscles relax and block the airway.
- Central Sleep Apnea: A rarer type where the brain doesn't send proper signals to control breathing.
- Complex Sleep Apnea: A combination of both.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
The most common symptom of sleep apnea is deep, prolonged snoring, which is accompanied by periodic interruptions in breathing during sleep. The patient will then gasp for air upon the resumption of breathing. Some patients might wake up from this.
Other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include a dry throat and mouth upon waking, insomnia, poor quality sleep, morning headaches, drowsiness throughout the day, decreased sex drive, and irritability. If you recognize one or more of these symptoms in yourself or your sleeping partner, you can see a sleep specialist dentist in Charlotte for a diagnosis.
Treatment Options for Sleep Apnea
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines are commonly used to treat sleep apnea. This machine uses a face and nose mask to deliver a stream of gently pressurized air into the airway. In obstructive sleep apnea, this prevents the soft tissues of your airway from sagging, and also delivers air into the lungs for patients who have central sleep apnea. CPAP machines are usually the only way to treat central or complex sleep apnea.
For OSA, however, there are more options. Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is becoming more common. In this treatment, your dentist will create an oral appliance, which looks similar to a retainer or a mouth guard. This device will shift the position of your jaw during sleep, keeping your oral tissue from sagging, and treating your sleep apnea.
In addition, OSA can be mitigated or even eliminated by some basic lifestyle changes, such as ceasing smoking and alcohol use, avoiding narcotics or sedatives, losing weight, and changing the position in which you sleep.
Schedule Your Sleep Apnea Screening Today
Early detection is key to better sleep and overall health. Whether or not you have known risk factors, we recommend including a sleep apnea screening as part of your regular dental care.
Call us at (980) 392-5626, Charlotte, to schedule your sleep apnea screening today. Improving your sleep and wellbeing can start with a quick, non-invasive evaluation.