Sleep is an absolutely essential part of keeping your body and mind healthy and functioning correctly. Do you get pretty regular sleep, but still find yourself asking why you’re feeling groggy and not well rested every day? Unfortunately, sleep apnea could be to blame. Your ARCH orthodontist in Greater Boston and Cape Cod wants you to know that help is here, and you can get the good night’s sleep you need to stay healthy.
What is Sleep Apnea?
The most common form of sleep apnea that we see at ARCH Orthodontics is something called obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. Your ARCH orthodontist depends on a sleep specialist for a proper diagnosis and then we’re able to decide what treatment will be the best option for you or your family member. Apnea is a Greek word that translates to “without breath.” If you’ve got OSA, you’re probably so sleepy because your breathing is being interrupted sometimes hundreds of times a night and you may not even know it! Even though you can stop breathing for up to a minute, most of the time your body won’t be triggered to wake up. This bad sleep cycle is dangerous for both your oral and overall health.
What Are The Signs of Sleep Apnea?
There are quite a few symptoms that we commonly associate with OSA. The American Sleep Association says OSA tends to appear more frequently in men than women, particularly in African-American and Hispanic men. Common OSA symptoms include:
- Loud snoring
- Obesity
- Excessive sleepiness during the day
- Waking up with shortness of breath
- Persistent headaches
- Difficulty sleeping
It’s best to see a sleep specialist and discuss your symptoms with them first. They may ask you to complete something called a sleep study in a special lab or a home study so that they can make a proper diagnosis. It’s important to note that sleep apnea is also a problem for many children and adolescents, leading to an increased rate of hyperactivity, aggressiveness, inability to focus, and emotional distress. We can help treat sleep apnea in younger patients to help them have a bright, healthy future that’s free from further issues.
How Does ARCH Orthodontics Treat Sleep Apnea?
Your ARCH orthodontist in Greater Boston and Cape Cod is proud to offer a wide variety of safe, effective sleep apnea solutions. Sometimes something called a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine is necessary to help regulate your breathing and get you sleeping better. But they can be hard to use for some people making treatment ineffective. We can also create a special, custom bite guard or an oral appliance that you wear at night to help keep your airway open for better breathing and improved sleep.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important that you see a sleep specialist to get a proper diagnosis before discussing treatment options with your ARCH orthodontist. We can decide how to best treat your sleep apnea and get you sleeping soundly once again. If you have questions about sleep apnea or need help finding a sleep specialist, please call your neighborhood ARCH Orthodontics office. We’re conveniently located in Orleans, Hyannis, Stoughton, Hyde Park, Westwood, Bridgewater, Brockton, Canton, and Randolph.
