Frequently Asked Questions
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep is an important part of a healthy life. It is what allows us to recharge and be productive in our daily lives, and when something disturbs it, our quality of life and ability to focus begins to drop. This is especially true if those interruptions are constant and interrupt your rest every night. One of the most common causes of lost or disturbed sleep among adults is sleep apnea. If you suffer from sleep apnea and you are wondering what you can do to treat this condition, we highly recommend visiting our office at All Smiles Sleep Solutions so we can help you with oral appliance therapy that will effectively control the issue and help you get better sleep at night without any breathing issues. Sleep apnea is a sleep condition that causes someone to stop breathing multiple times a night, usually because their airway becomes blocked while they rest.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can be difficult to diagnose unless you are looking for a few specific symptoms. One of the most prominent symptoms of sleep apnea is difficulty concentrating and recalling things from memory, issues commonly tied to chronically disturbed sleep. People with sleep apnea often describe feeling fatigued, regardless of how long they sleep. This is because they aren’t getting a restful sleep.
What causes sleep apnea?
There are several reasons why people might suffer from sleep apnea. While it is known that individuals who are overweight or those who have a smaller jaw or a large overbite are more prone to this condition, several other factors determine the risk of suffering from this condition.
People who smoke or consume excessive alcohol are at a higher risk of suffering from sleep apnea. This is because smoking and alcohol consumption make the windpipe thinner. Age also has a lot to do with sleep apnea. People who are above the age of 40 are more prone to suffering from the condition than those who are younger. It is also believed that the condition seems to get worse as you grow older.
What are the effects of untreated sleep apnea?
When sleep apnea is not treated in time it could result in several health conditions. The most common problem that people face is lack of sleep or disturbed sleep. As mentioned briefly above, sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing multiple times while you are asleep. Every time you stop breathing, your body abruptly wakes up thereby disturbing your sleep cycle. This makes you extremely tired the next day and causes irritability and moodiness.
Constant disturbance of your sleep also has adverse effects on your health and can result in conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. While it is impossible to cure sleep apnea, you can opt-in to effective treatment measures like oral appliance therapy. Sleep apnea might seem like a minor condition when it just starts off but with time this condition only gets worse. This is why treating it as soon as possible is very important.
How is sleep apnea treated?
Oral appliance therapy is designed to help people with obstructive sleep apnea have continuous breathing while they sleep. The main goal of oral appliance therapy is to restore breathing, alertness, improve sleep, and revitalize your health. Here at All Smiles Sleep Solutions we can give you the information you need on oral appliance therapy and do a thorough examination to decide if it is right for you.
What is oral appliance therapy?
Oral appliance therapy involves wearing something in your mouth as you sleep to correct problems such as snoring and sleep apnea. These devices are made and fit very similar to a mouthguard or orthodontic retainer. The way they work is they hold either the tongue down or by supporting the jaw in a forward position, creating air flow.
However, you cannot just go to a store and buy a mouthguard because they do not have the same design. Oral appliance therapy products must be custom fit to your mouth for them to work effectively. While over the counter products are made for snoring or sleep apnea, they are not recommended and do not work compared to these custom-fit appliances.
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the best choice when trying to live with sleep apnea but can be expensive. These other appliances are typically chosen because they are cheaper and much easier to carry around. This way, when you go on a trip or are staying in a hotel, you can take your oral appliance with you.
What are the benefits and side effects of oral appliance therapy?
Treating your sleep apnea and snoring problems can not only help your breathing and sleep patterns, but it can also help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Oral appliance therapy can also help improve your concentration and emotional stability because you are getting a regular amount of sleep each night. Another benefit of these appliances is the simple design, making them very easy to use. They are easy to wear and can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks to get used to, which is much easier than learning to sleep with a CPAP machine.
While they can benefit the lives of people living with sleep apnea or extreme snoring, they can cause things such as dry mouth, tooth and jaw discomfort, and temporary bite changes. While these things are uncomfortable, the benefits of breathing correctly when sleeping and getting a full night’s rest far outweigh the temporary pain that is associated with getting used to the oral appliance. Getting a full night’s rest is far more crucial to our health than most people imagine.
If you find yourself breathless and waking up in the middle of the night, we highly recommend giving us a call at 813-461-6570 or visiting our office at All Smiles Sleep Solutions so we can help treat your condition.
We want our patients to sleep better
Your doctor. Your team. Our technology.
Our top priority is helping our patients breathe and sleep better. We strive to inform our patients how they can help prevent potential problems and explain why certain treatments are necessary. If you are new to our practice and are interested in a complimentary consultation, we will make every effort for you to feel comfortable and educated during your appointment.
Our experience and expertise provide a higher level of care, and the advanced technology and techniques that we use give you access to safer, faster, more comfortable, and more effective procedures.
If you want to learn more, we are happy to help!
Get in touch with All Smiles Sleep Solutions
Office Location
17200 Camelot Court
Unit 101
Land O’Lakes, FL 34638-7279
Satellite Location
1180 Ponce DeLeon
Suite 401
Clearwater, FL 34756