Sleep Apnea
Where Your Smile Begins
Calgary, Alberta
Calgary, Alberta
Snoring Treatment
If you are a chronic snorer, it is possible that you have sleep apnea. Snoring occurs when the airway is partially blocked by relaxed throat or tongue tissue and the sound comes from this tissue vibrating.Sleep apnea is a health-threatening condition where the airway repeatedly becomes entirely blocked, preventing breathing – the word “apnea” means “no breathing”. You would wake up enough to gasp for air and then fall back to sleep. In the morning you would have no memory of these incidents.
The official definition of sleep apnea is blocked breathing five or more times per hour for at least ten seconds each time. The average time is 22 seconds. Try holding your breath for 22 seconds -- good luck! The lack of breathing causes a significant drop in blood oxygen levels. Although there are three types of sleep apnea, the most common one – about 85 percent of sleep apnea cases – is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Although OSA sufferers are not typically aware of the non-breathing episodes each night, they do notice daytime symptoms.
- Fatigue and drowsiness
- Headaches
- Memory problems
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Night time sweating
- Chest pain at night
- Depression
- Irritability
- Weight gain
- Impotence
- Menstrual irregularities
- Grinding teeth
Sleep apnea reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain. Many of the symptoms arise from that and studies have linked sleep apnea with increased likelihood of being in an auto accident, greater incidence of heart dysfunction, and high blood pressure. When it occurs in children, it can slow down their growth rate.
Find out if you are sleep deprived — take the Epworth Test.
Who is at Risk for Sleep Apnea?
17 to 20 percent of the populations has varying levels of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, most of them not knowing it.
Certain groups are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than others:
- Anyone who is obese
- People over the age of 50
- Members of a family where someone has sleep apnea
- Hispanics and First Nations
- Males (males have OSA twice as often as females
- Anyone with airway constriction
- Children with enlarged tonsils
My Snoring and Sleep Apnea Does Not Bother me Though!
You may think you are dealing with the snoring and OSA, but what about your family members? It is not much fun for them. Some people reach the equivalent noise level of a passing freight train. Now that’s loud!
In fact family and weight gain is the least of your worries if you have OSA. Those with sleep apnea are three times more likely to suffer from a heart attack than someone who is overweight, and twice as likely to have a heart attack as a smoker. Let’s hope you don’t have OSA, are overweight and a smoker. When might you have the heart attack? Probably around 55 years of age, according to sleep apnea research studies. Not good news really, if you think you have sleep apnea.
What to do?
Diagnosis First
Sleep apnea diagnosis involves symptom evaluation, your medical history, a thorough physical exam, and a sleep study. Using the ARES at-home sleep study unit we can test you for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. ARES stands for Apnea Risk Evaluation System™. While you sleep, information is gathered about your airflow, chest movements, brain activity, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels. Within two or three days we will have the results of your test and be able to determine how severe your sleep apnea is.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, Dr.Cload may recommend snoring treatment with a Mandibular Advancement Device. This device keeps your airway open by moving your lower jaw forward. We use a device called the SOMNOMED, which is custom designed to fit over your upper and lower teeth.
The benefits of the SOMNOMED are that it:
- Is very comfortable to wear
- Comes with a one year manufacturer warranty
- Is easy to use
- You are able to open your mouth
- Will be custom fit
- Has been FDA-approved for treating OSA
Since Dr. Cload practices neuromuscular dentistry, he has extra training and qualifications regarding jaw function. As he is diagnosing your Obstructive Sleep Apnea, he may find that your bite is misaligned and he may suggest some ways of correcting it. If, in addition to OSA, you have other symptoms such as headaches, facial pain, or discomfort when you open your mouth too widely, you may be suffering from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder.
Please call us today if you would like to know more about snoring treatment and sleep apnea, Dr. Cload and his friendly team will be glad to welcome you at our dental office in Calgary, Alberta and schedule a personal consultation for you. If you prefer, you can email our office for your consultation.
