There are millions of people in this country that have undiagnosed sleep apnea. This is surprising considering it increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, having a stroke, and other heart problems such as atrial fibrillation. There is also a correlation between sleep apnea and diabetes. Since this sleep disorder can lead to such ill-health, it is important to seek treatment if you suspect you suffer from it.
Dr. Joseph Thompson is a dentist located in Greeley however many of his patients travel from surrounding areas seeking relief from their sleep apnea. He treats many patients from Johnstown, CO with oral appliance therapy, a proven sleep apnea and excessive snoring treatment.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
There are a few types of sleep apnea however obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more prevalent. This sleep disorder occurs when there is an obstruction in the airway during sleep and the person completely stops breathing. An event takes place when the muscles in the throat relax causing the soft tissues to collapse and completely block the airway.
The patient will try to breathe during sleep but will be unable to. The body becomes deprived of oxygen and involuntary reflexes will cause the body to startle awake to continue breathing. These stop breathing events can happen many times during sleep making it almost impossible to get a good night’s rest.
Signs You May Suffer from Sleep Apnea
There are many clues that will help you decide if you need to seek treatment. Snoring is the most common sleep apnea symptom however not everyone that snores will have it. Snoring accompanied by additional symptoms may suggest that you need to get help. A full list of sleep apnea symptoms are:
- Snoring
- Excessive daytime fatigue or sleepiness
- Waking up frequently during the night
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Mood problems (anxiety or depression)
- Sexual dysfunction
- Irritability
- Unable to concentrate
- Frequent forgetfulness
- Waking up to urinate a lot
- Night sweats
- Morning headaches
How Do Dentists Treat Sleep Apnea?
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, Dr. Thompson can help! He offers oral appliance therapy to his patients from Johnstown, CO. This revolutionary sleep device is a replacement for the dreaded CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. While this machine has been very successful at treating this sleep disorder, it has low patient compliance. This is mainly attributed to the patients having to wear a face mask that blows air into their mouth continuously throughout sleep.
Dr. Thompson offers oral sleep appliances that resemble a mouthpiece and is worn while you sleep. It is fabricated from impressions of your teeth to fit perfectly in your mouth. It works by gently pushing your lower jaw forward and keeping it in that position throughout sleep. This will prevent your airway from collapsing during sleep and you will be able to breathe freely.
Get Started Today
If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, Dr. Thompson will refer you to your primary care physician. They may recommend a sleep study that will determine if you do in fact suffer from this sleep disorder. Once you have a diagnosis, please call to schedule a consultation with Dr. Thompson at his Johnstown, CO area dentist office to discuss having an oral sleep appliance made.