What Should You Know about Sleep Apnea?

Did you know that about 90% of people with sleep apnea haven’t been diagnosed? If you have sleep apnea, one of the only ways to officially diagnose it is to have a sleep study. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help you deal with sleep apnea—and our dentist can help.
Sleep apnea happens when your airway gets obstructed while you’re sleeping. Often, either your tongue or muscles from the roof of your mouth block your airway. When this happens, your body will wake you up. Ultimately, you may wake up hundreds of times every night. As you can probably guess, this can lead to difficulty sleeping and trouble focusing during the day.  
Fortunately, there are many different things you can do to cope with sleep apnea. For instance, you could find that a CPAP machine is the best option for you. However, our dentist can offer you a few alternative options such as a custom oral appliance. These appliances are typically considered quieter, easier to put on, easier to travel with, more comfortable, and easier to clean than a CPAP machine.
Often, these appliances are custom mouth guards. While these mouthguards are designed to fit comfortably, they will also hold your mouth in a position that keeps your airway open while you sleep. In other words, this mouthguard prevents the obstructions that tend to wake you up and causes your snoring.
Are you worried about sleep apnea? Do you wonder what you might be able to do to identify the issue—or wonder how having sleep apnea could affect your health? If you would like to learn more about a mouthguard, or how a mouthguard could benefit you, we invite you to give Andrew Henritze DDS a call at (540) 989-6600. Dr. Andrew W Henritze, DDS and our team will gladly answer any of your questions.