It is very important to seek medical attention if sleep apnea is suspected. Fortunately, the dentist is equipped with the necessary technology and expertise to treat sleep apnea in several different ways. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more prevalent and can be easily treatable by the dentist.Ĭommon signs of obstructive sleep apnea can include severe early morning headaches, feeling tired, and sleepiness in the daytime, and insomnia. There are two main types of this disorder central sleep apnea which occurs when the brain fails to send important signals to the breathing muscles, and obstructive sleep apnea which occurs when air cannot flow through the nose or mouth even though the body is still trying to breathe. Because people with sleep apnea don’t always completely awake during the episodes, they are often unaware they have a sleeping disorder and it can remain undiagnosed. People with sleep apnea will partially awake as they struggle to breathe, and this is often accompanied by loud snoring or choking sounds. Sensing this imbalance, the brain sends a message to the body, telling it to wake up to restart the breathing process. Ongoing interrupted breathing causes an imbalance between the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the bloodstream, as not enough carbon dioxide is exiting and not enough oxygen is entering the body. Breath interruption can last anywhere from several seconds to minutes, and happen as often as 30 times or more per hour. The term sleep apnea is derived from the Greek etymology meaning “without breath”. Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening sleep condition characterized by repeated interruption of breathing during sleep.
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