Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder which is more dangerous than many people realise. Although there is more than one type, the most common form of sleep apnea is OSA or obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea symptoms and signs
Symptoms that may suggest that you or your partner have obstructive sleep apnea include:
• Loud snoring
• Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Excessive sleepiness during the day
• Morning headache
• Abrupt awakenings followed by a snort or gasp
• Difficulty in concentrating
• High blood pressure
• Observed episodes of breathing having stopped during sleeping
• Mood changes such as depression or irritability
• Decreased libido
• Night time sweating
How serious is sleep apnea?
If obstructive sleep apnea is ignored then patients have an increased chance of developing a number of medical conditions, such as
• Irregular heartbeats
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Depression
In fact, scientific evidence points to the fact that a person suffering from moderate to severe sleep apnea has an increased risk of dying from one of the above mentioned medical conditions.
Obstructive sleep apnea can also cause accidents in the workplace or when driving due to a person feeling extremely sleepy during the day, which in turn impacts on their memory and concentration.
What are the risk factors of developing sleep apnea?
• Male gender
• Menopausal woman
• Smokers
• Over 40
• Diabetic
• Overweight
• High pressure
• Heart condition
• Family history of OSA
• Alcohol, tranquiliser, or sedative use
• Abnormalities of upper airways
Sleep apnea Melbourne – How we can help
Sleep apnea is very common in Australia with as many as 1.2 million sufferers according to the National Institute of Health. Fortunately it can be treated by a team of experts including your Melbourne dentist. If you are having problems sleeping and we suspect sleep apnea problems we’ll recommend you to a specialist GP. Normally they will commission a sleep study. After testing, once an initial diagnosis is confirmed, and based on their findings, we’ll work closely with them to create an appliance which will help treat your condition.
SomnoDent dental devices for improved sleep quality
It some cases, it may be that you simply need to quit smoking, lose weight or reduce your alcohol consumption to cure any sleep apnea issues. Alternatively we may be asked to create a mouth splint for sleep.
This has the effect of gently pushing the lower jaw forward to prevent the tongue from blocking the airways. Devices such as these are easy and comfortable to wear and can help avoid surgery. We recommend and use clinically proven devices from SomnoMed where 91% of patients say they have improved their sleep quality.
A permanent solution to obstructive sleep apnea is surgery which involves sectioning the lower jaw in order to pull the bone holding the tongue slightly forwards. It’s a simple procedure which comes with a high success rate
Sleep apnea Narre Warren | Book Now
If you think you or your partner may have sleep apnea then don’t worry! We have a special interest in these type of issues and can help. Come and talk to our experienced team on (03) 8790 2500 and put an end to your sleep problems once and for all.
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Have Some Questions?
What Insurances Do You Accept?
We prefer Medibank, HCF, Smile.com and NIB.
What Other Forms of Payment Do You Accept?
Along with insurance, we accept cash, credit card and financing (Mysmileplan).
Is there on-site parking?
Ava Maria Dental has convenient parking on-site, so you can just drive straight in!