If you are suffering from sleep apnea, your local dentist in Bethlehem PA can potentially help. Sleep apnea is the condition of not receiving enough air at night, forcing you to wake up, gasping for air. This is often caused by soft tissue blocking your airways. When you’re asleep, any soft tissue structure such as your uvula, the back of your tongue, tonsils, and adenoids can collapse your airways. In today’s article, we’ll talk about some of the lesser known facts about sleep apnea, and how treatment might be perfect for you.
SYMPTOMS – If you suspect sleep apnea might be the reason you wake up exhausted, then perhaps some of these symptoms may sound familiar. If they do, speak to your dentist in Bethlehem PA the next time you’re in for a visit.
-Snoring
-Fatigue
-Morning Dry Mouth
-Morning Headaches
-Insomnia
-Poor Memory
-Poor Work Performance
-Irritability
RISK FACTORS– Some external habits and factors of our life can increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea, which limits your breathing. Excess weight is a huge factor, as extra fat can make it harder to breathe, thus potentially clogging your airways. This also plays into the thickness of your neck, as people with thicker necks usually have narrower airways.
Smoking and alcohol are two other major factors in the increased risk of sleep apnea. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat, while smoking can increase inflammation and fluid retention in your airways. Age, gender, and even your family history can all play a factor.
TREATMENT– A sleep disorder dentist in PA can perform dental procedures like removing tonsils or adenoids. He can perform minor surgical procedures on the jaw or tongue. And to treat obstructive sleep apnea, he can perform dental procedures such as uvulopalatoplasty, reduction of tonsils or adenoids, and other procedures.
If you think that visiting a sleep disorders dentist in Bethlehem PA is just a waste of money, then think again. Your dentist can use these procedures to detect the causes of obstructive sleep apnea, which may include diabetes, nasal congestion, or other outlying medical conditions. These can all cause apneas, which your dentist can treat. And with the help of a CPAP machine, your dentist can also deliver positive air pressure to the nose during sleep. This will allow the patient’s breathing to become easier.
One of the best sleep apnea solutions is doing physical activity. Doctors recommend exercise to patients with sleep apnea. Exercising can help improve your breathing and stop the airway tissues from collapsing.
There are many sleep apnea solutions in the form of surgeries, medications, and natural remedies. It would be best to consult your dentist in Bethlehem PA about your condition first. In this way, they can assess your condition first and come up with the best treatment method. If you want to know more about these sleep apnea and potential solutions, visit us online or call us today with any questions at 610-861-0777.
