When people think about problems a dentist can treat, they don’t often think about sleep apnea. But, in fact, sleep apnea treatment is among the most important services we offer to our Oakton-area patients at Softouch Dental Care.
Why? Because sleep apnea is a serious condition, and our patients who suffer from it are desperate for a solution. They’re tired of being tired, of dealing with the serious effects on their health and well-being that comes with the condition.
It’s important that you understand as much as you can about sleep apnea. We have always believed that knowledge helps a patient relax and have a pleasant experience.
Important Facts About Sleep Apnea
Here’s some important things to know about sleep apnea:
- Sleep apnea is common: Sleep apnea is not some fringe condition that affects only a handful of people. It’s actually quite common. In fact, tens of millions of Americans suffer from some form of sleep apnea at some level of severity. This includes many people in and around the Oakton area.
- Sleep apnea is a serious condition: There’s sometimes a sense that sleep apnea is more of an inconvenience than anything else. And it certainly is an inconvenient condition – sleep apnea can make it difficult, if not impossible, to get a good night’s sleep. But sleep apnea is more than that – it’s a serious health condition. In fact, if left untreated, sleep apnea greatly increases your chances of contracting a potentially fatal heart condition.
- There are multiple types of sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the muscles in your throat contract and block your airway, is the most common form of sleep apnea, and it’s generally what people think about when they think about sleep apnea. However, there’s also central sleep apnea, in which a neurological failure means your central nervous system doesn’t send breathing signals to the appropriate muscles.
- There are several symptoms of sleep apnea: If you suffer from chronic snoring, exhaustion or weariness even after a night’s sleep, morning headaches, short term memory loss or repeated episodes of waking up gasping, there’s a good chance you have sleep apnea.
- Different lifestyle factors are risk factors for sleep apnea: Sleep apnea risk factors include obesity, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, age and gender (men are more likely to experience apnea than women)
Here’s one more thing you should know: CPAP is not the only sleep apnea treatment. Many people assume that a CPAP machine is the only option they have to treat sleep apnea, but this isn’t true. Dr. Chung offers the MicrO2 Sleep and Snore Device, which is a custom-crafted oral appliance that positions your teeth in such a way as to clear your airway and allow for safe breathing during sleep.
If you suffer from sleep apnea in the Oakton, Virginia area, rest assured, there are solutions. Please call Softouch Dental Care today at 703-747-9734 for a consultation and examination.
