Millions of people have trouble sleeping for a variety of reasons. This can include causes from stress to occasional insomnia, to more pervasive medical conditions that impact their day to day sleep cycle. One of the more common conditions that impacts many Americans’ ability to rest at night is sleep apnea. Below we will detail how a Newbury Park dentist can help with sleep apnea so you can get a good night’s sleep.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a medical condition that causes some people to stop breathing at various times throughout the sleep cycle. Generally, two main types of sleep apnea affect people: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, where a person’s airways collapse, preventing air from passing through an airway and into the lungs. The other form, central sleep apnea, may be more difficult to tackle. In central sleep apnea, the brain stops sending messages to the airways to breathe. In either type of sleep apnea, the person wakes up groggy, lethargic, and unable to start the day fresh as they typically would otherwise.
How can a Newbury Park dentist help me with sleep apnea?
While at first glance many people do not consider a dentist for help with their sleep apnea, a dentist can be a trusted partner in finding solutions to help improve your sleep apnea. Dentists may prescribe an oral sleep device, known as mandibular advancement devices, to help deal with your sleep apnea. Oral sleep devices, which often have a similarity to mouth-guards in their look, push your jaw forward in order to tighten the muscles that may collapse during sleep apnea.
Over time, this can help make the airway stronger and stop such easy collapse of airway muscles, in order to combat the negative effects of sleep apnea. Another, less common device is a tongue-retaining device that holds the person’s tongue in a forward hold. No matter which device is appropriate to treat your sleep apnea, a Thousand Oaks dentist at Newbury Dental can help ensure you have the appropriate one.
What do I do if I have more questions on how a Newbury Park dentist can help me with sleep apnea?
Our office is ready to answer any questions you may have about how your dentist can help you with sleep apnea. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment and ensure your sleep apnea is taken care of and you can get a restful night’s sleep.