Do you or your partner snore? Are you excessively tired during the day? You may have sleep apnea. Dr. Rachel Barone treats patients with sleep apnea in her Boulder, CO, dental office. Unlike the traditional treatments, Dr. Barone can provide you with a small device that you will wear while sleeping.
The CPAP machine traditionally used is big and bulky, making it difficult to sleep while wearing. Gunbarrel Dental Center offer oral appliances to treat sleep apnea. In addition to sleep apnea treatments, we provide general dental services in Boulder, CO.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a widespread sleep disorder that often goes undiagnosed. OSA occurs when the muscles located in the back of the throat relax too much and block the upper airway during sleep.
A person with sleep apnea has repetitive episodes during the night while sleeping when they stop and start breathing due to upper airway obstruction. Breathing can cease for 5 seconds to over a minute. This can happen hundreds of times per night and lead to severe complications.
When the airway is obstructed, and breathing ceases, it often results in reduced oxygen levels in the blood and poor sleep. People with sleep apnea typically experience loud snoring, choking, gasping sounds during sleep, and many more symptoms.
It is essential to receive professional care when you notice changes in your sleep. Sleep apnea limits the amount of oxygen to the heart and brain, which may lead to serious health issues without treatment, including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and stroke.
Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea
Many contributing factors will increase your risk of developing sleep apnea. However, anyone can develop OSA. While there is not one cause, there are many risk factors, some you have control over and some you do not, including:
- Being overweight or obese
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Narrow or abnormal upper airway or small lower jaw
- Constant nasal congestion
- Post-menopausal women
- Over 40 male
- Having a large neck circumference
Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can worsen if you drink alcohol in excess, are a heavy smoker, or use sedatives. If left untreated, you are increasing your risk of developing more significant health problems, which will make existing medical conditions harder to manage.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Common signs of sleep apnea include:
- Snoring
- Waking up throughout the night, short of breath
- Irritability
- Daytime sleepiness
- Headaches
- Gastric reflux
- High blood pressure
If you have a partner or roommate, they may know you have sleep apnea before you do. While you wake up multiple times throughout the night, you may not even notice. Talk to the people you live with to see if they’ve heard snoring. There are also sleep-tracking apps and features that record your noises throughout the night so that you can determine if you’re snoring.
Treating Sleep Apnea in Boulder, CO
Dr. Barone provides sleep apnea screenings and airway exams to her patients. Often, occlusion, or the bite, can impact sleep apnea. She will determine if your bite is exacerbating your sleep apnea symptoms and find the right treatment for your symptoms.
Dr. Barone will recommend an oral sleep appliance for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea. This appliance offers an alternative to CPAP machines. CPAP machines deliver a continuous stream of air to keep the airway open. However, while these machines benefit patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea, they can be difficult for some patients.
An oral sleep appliance, or mandibular advancement appliance, positions the lower jaw forward to expand the throat and keep the airway open. Dr. Barone takes dental impressions to create a custom sleep appliance. Typically, these appliances are acrylic, covering the upper and lower teeth and using metal hinges to bring the jaw forward.
The Dangers of Untreated Sleep Apnea
While snoring might not seem like a big deal, untreated sleep apnea is serious. Sleep apnea stops your breathing many times each night, keeping you from getting the oxygen your body needs. This leads to poor sleep, which affects your mind. You may feel foggy, find it hard to think clearly, and struggle to remember things. Without enough rest, you’re also more likely to feel depressed or irritable because your brain isn’t getting enough oxygen or the downtime it needs.
Sleep apnea can also increase other breathing problems. People with sleep apnea have a higher chance of developing adult asthma. Low oxygen levels make you tired during the day and can cause you to fall asleep at unsafe times, like when driving, putting both you and others at risk.
Another serious concern is how untreated sleep apnea affects blood and heart health. It can raise your blood pressure, which then worsens breathing problems. People with sleep apnea are also more likely to have higher blood sugar and higher levels of bad cholesterol. If you already have type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea can make it harder to control.
Sleep apnea also affects other areas of your body. People with it may have higher liver enzyme levels and a greater chance of fatty liver disease. There’s also a connection between sleep apnea and acid reflux, which can cause frequent heartburn. Overall, untreated sleep apnea can harm many aspects of your health.
Schedule A Consultation Today
Do you think you may have sleep apnea? Call 720-881-0614 or request an appointment at Gunbarrel Dental Center on our website. Please let Dr. Barone know if you have any questions about your symptoms or treatment options; she will gladly help.