Sleep disordered breathing can affect up to one in three adults.
Contributing factors to sleep apnoea include age, weight and upper airway structure, specifically whether you have a narrow airway or not.
If your airway collapses when you are relaxed and sleeping, the movement of the air through the restricted airway can lead to the noise we know as snoring.
If the airway collapses and remains blocked for a period of time, this results in a pause in breathing, known as an apneic event. The body then momentarily wakes up in order to start breathing again. These awakenings are so brief you may not realise they have happened.
This puts strain on your body, reducing the quality of your sleep and contributing to other health impacts such as high blood pressure, reflux, depression, and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
“People with untreated sleep apnoea are more than 6 times more likely to be involved in a car crash!”
What Steps Should I Take Next?
If you or someone you love snores, then book an appointment with your GP for an assessment. They may then refer you for a sleep study to assess your sleep and see what’s happening with your breathing overnight. Sometimes, these studies can be done in the comfort of your own bed rather than staying overnight in the hospital.
Why Is My Dentist Telling Me This?
Once diagnosed, you may be prescribed a CPAP machine; however, if you have mild sleep apnoea or snoring, then you may be suitable for a dental appliance that holds your jaw forward when you are asleep.
Oral appliances can only be provided by a dentist who has completed appropriate education.
Oral appliances are also useful for those who travel, as they are much easier to pack than a CPAP machine, and they can also be provided to patients who have tried CPAP but found it uncomfortable.
Dentists can identify signs in the mouth that may indicate sleep-disordered breathing and arrange an appropriate referral.
Want to Learn More About Sleep Apnoea in Wagga Wagga?
If you would like some tips on how to get started with a screening for sleep-disordered breathing or to determine if an oral appliance can help you, please call the practice on 02 6921 5799 to book an appointment with Dr Helen Powis.