Sleep Apnea Treatment Overview

Snoring and sleep apnea are not one in the same. Many people who snore do not have the condition known as sleep apnea or OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea). Instead, it could be congestion, a dry bedroom, or something entirely harmless. However, if you are someone diagnosed with this serious condition, we recommend you visit us for sleep apnea treatment. At Provo Family Dentistry in Provo, UT, we offer our patients access to some workable solutions that will improve your sleep and your health.

Why You Need Sleep Apnea Treatment

When you have OSA, it means that the soft tissue at the back of your throat and palate actually collapse backward on one another as you sleep. This blocks your airway and makes a snoring sound as the air struggles to get through the tissue. In all accuracy, you will stop breathing for ten to twenty seconds once the throat has compressed too tightly. It is only when your body forces you to inhale strong enough to get the air that you begin to breathe normally again.

Of course, sleep apnea treatment wouldn’t be crucial if this happened once per evening, but many people suffer such non-breathing incidents dozens upon dozens of times per night. This leads to interrupted sleep patterns, sleep deprivation and the many problems this will cause during waking hours. Poor job performance, dozing off while driving or having zero energy to do the things you need or want are just the beginning of the issues.

You will also need to visit our sleep apnea dentist for formal sleep apnea treatment because the long-term damages done by the condition can actually become life-threatening. When you cease to breathe, your body pumps out hormones that cause you to experience the “fight or flight” sensation. This forces you to breathe, but it also causes things like your blood pressure to rise, your heart to pound and your body to struggle. The reduced oxygen in your blood might also cause you to suffer from diabetes and chronic indigestion.

Contact Our Sleep Apnea Treatment Dentist

The good news is that sleep apnea treatment is often as simple as a custom-made oral appliance that holds the airway open as you sleep. Now that you know some of the most important facts about sleep apnea treatment, it is time to talk with your preferred dentist in Provo about the options. Get in touch with us today by calling 801-375-4600 or by visiting our contact page.