The sounds made during sleep apnea snoring sound a bit different from the normal noises made by these patients. Normal snoring is caused when something narrows the patient's airway. The patient doesn't breath well and has a blockage somewhere in the airway. These patients usually wake up tired and can stay tired for most of the day. The rest of the patient's family often suffer from fatigue when the noise is loud. The daytime tiredness can be so severe that it can lead to automobile accidents.
Sleep apnea snoring is interrupted by brief quiet periods when the airway is completely blocked. This silent period is followed by an intense arousal when the body goes into emergency mode to combat the suffocation that resulted from the blockage. Most sleep apnea patients move around quite a bit in an attempt to relieve the blockage. They wake up in the morning extremely tired and their beds are often soaked with sweat made during the nocturnal struggle to survive.
Sleep apnea snoring can often be treated using a dental appliance for sleep apnea that pulls the tongue and lower jaw forward. The treatment is reversible unlike sleep apnea surgery procedures. It makes good sense to see a dentist before agreeing to such surgery. Things that make it worse are: overweight, lack of exercise, smoking , alcohol, acid reflux, poor health, age, and hormone imbalances. They often cause congestion of the throat tissues which leads to swelling of fluids within the tissues. The congestion causes loss of muscle tone and makes the tissues lining the airway flop around. It severe cases, the blockage can lead to sleep apnea death.
The dentists at the Atlanta Dental Group PC are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being. You are welcome to join our family of patients. Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky, the senior dentist of our group, treats this disorder and would be happy to help you. He can usually offer a dental alternative to tradtional sleep apnea treatment. If you suffer with sleep apnea snoring and would like to consult with our sleep apnea dentist, please call and make an appointment at 404-874-7428.