Suffering from sleep apnea can have serious, long-term side effects in addition to causing you significant daily discomfort. The most frustrating aspect of this sleep disorder often occurs before diagnosis. Why? Because the symptoms may present themselves but you will likely have difficulty figuring out the underlying cause. Sleep apnea occurs when your throat tissues collapse, causing a momentary inability to breathe in the air you need. Your brain will recognize the lack of oxygen, signaling you to wake up, which you will do quickly. So quickly, in fact, that it will be long enough to begin breathing again but often too brief for you to remember the event in the morning. So how exactly do you determine whether you need sleep apnea treatment? Learn more:
Become Familiar With Symptoms
Some patients are lucky enough to have a significant other witness them waking up during the night – this can provide you with a pretty solid start to determining whether you suffer from sleep apnea. However, many people must rely on the following symptoms to clue them in:
- You have been told you are loud snorer or have woken yourself up from snoring
- In the morning, you wake with a sore throat
- You may wake up with a headache or with the sensation of “cotton mouth”
- Attempting to concentrate during the day may become increasingly problematic
- You will likely find that your friends and family wonder why you have become so moody
- You will deal with exhaustion that never seems to go away, even though you feel certain you are sleeping soundly
About Treatment
If we diagnose you with sleep apnea, you will absolutely require sleep apnea treatment. Fortunately, treatment is simple. We will treat you by having you wear an oral appliance – or mouth guard – while you sleep. It will reposition your jaw for an improved likelihood of your airways remaining open while you sleep.
ABOUT YOUR GARLAND DENTISTS:
At DentaCare Dental in Garland, we focus on advanced technology, education, and comfort to offer every patient a pleasant experience and excellent dental care. To schedule a consultation, call our Garland, TX office today at (903) 758-5921. For optimal convenience, we also serve patients at our various other locations in Tyler, Longview, and Arlington, TX, as well as Bossier City, LA.