Is your snoring causing serious health problems?
Dr Elaine Ng of SMILEFOCUS explains what obstructive sleep apnoea is and how it can prevent you – and your loved one – from getting a good night’s rest.
It’s common to snore when you’re extremely tired or had one too many glasses of red wine. However, chronic snoring can be a sign of a more serious health problem such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). In Greek apnoea means “without breath”, this condition causes you to stop breathing for short intervals – 10 seconds or longer – throughout the night. This can happen between 20 to 30 times or more every hour, all night long. When you stop breathing, the oxygen levels in your blood drop and the carbon dioxide levels rise. Research has shown one in every three heavy snorers, including children, experience severe sleep apnoea. OSA sufferers may not be aware of their condition so look out for the following symptoms:
• Extreme fatigue, leading to daytime sleepiness, poor concentration or
memory loss.
• Morning headaches
• Gasping during sleep
Many OSA sufferers actually think they’ve slept well all night and remain oblivious to their interrupted sleep. Their partners however may beg to differ. They usually sleep an average of two hours less than those whose partners don’t snore. Side effects of OSA can include high blood pressure, impotence, depression and irritability, all leading to a reduced quality of life.
Dental Sleep Medicine focuses on the management of sleep-related breathing disorders through the use of oral appliance therapy. A full diagnosis requires an overnight stay in a sleep laboratory. However, it’s also possible to screen for this condition at home. You’ll have to wear a device for one night only, which will record and analyse the data generated by your breathing and air flow. This portable device has been proven to be as effective as the screening methods in the sleep laboratory. If a form of sleep apnoea is indicated, you should discuss with your dentist appropriate treatments and further referral to a sleep physician if necessary. Dentists trained in oral appliance therapy work closely with sleep physicians in the diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care for sleep-related breathing disorders.
Oral appliance therapy usually helps combat moderate to mild sleep apnoea and sleep-related breathing disorders. This appliance is worn in your mouth while you sleep and fits like a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer, preventing the airway from collapsing by either holding the tongue or supporting the jaw in a forward position. This minimises or eliminates the symptoms of sleep apnoea. An oral appliance is inexpensive and easy to use, so if you do have a snoring problem, discuss this with your dentist during your next routine checkup. It just may be what you need to get the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had!
Dr. Elaine Ng BDS(NZ)
Dr. Elaine Ng’s expertise lies in cosmetic dentistry including crowns, bridges and whitening. She’s also experienced in emergency and trauma situations and performs wisdom tooth extractions and minor surgeries.
