Sleep Breathing Disorders

According to the American Dental Association, obstructions and vibrating tissues are the cause of snoring resulting from airflow that is unable to make it through a narrowed airway. When those tissues vibrate and run into each other, snoring occurs.

If snoring leads to breathing cessation or choking while sleeping, schedule an appointment with your primary care physician as the condition can cause serious cardiovascular issues, stroke, and other health problems. When snoring is treated early on, sleep apnea can be prevented.

Snoring may be an indicator for sleep apnea. However, not everyone who snores suffers from the disorder.

Central Sleep Apnea and Obstructive Sleep Apnea are disorders that cause a person to stop breathing while sleeping. Obstructive sleep apnea, also known as OSA is the more common of the two disorders and occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax. When those muscles relax, your airways close make breathing impossible. When this happens, your brain wakes you up so that you can breathe again. Sadly, breathing cessation can occur 30 times an hour and hundreds of times a night. Not only does this prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, it can also cause daytime sleepiness, morning headaches and problems with concentration.

Treatment for OSA varies with the most common being a CPAP machine. However, continuous airway pressure devices often go unused because they are uncomfortable, cumbersome and make almost as much noise as your snoring.

Used for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, oral appliance therapy works as it prevents your tongue from falling backward blocking your airways. The removable oral appliance is easy to use and helps prevent sleep apnea. Keep in mind that people with severe obstructive sleep apnea may need to use a CPAP machine in addition to oral appliance therapy.

If you wake up exhausted or people in your household are complaining about your snoring, schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist. If diagnosed, schedule an appointment with Dr. Frankie Neman for oral appliance therapy and other non-invasive OSA treatments.

Teeth clenching and grinding, also known as bruxism, can result in worn and damaged teeth. While the cause of nocturnal teeth clenching and grinding is unknown, it has been linked to stress, anxiety, caffeine, snoring, alcohol abuse, smoking, and fatigue. Constant grinding and clenching while you sleep could result in problems with the temporomandibular joints as well. Your TMJ is what connects your lower jaw to your upper jaw.

If you are clenching and grinding your teeth, call and schedule a bruxism evaluation with Dr. Frankie Neman. After your evaluation, a mouth guard may be recommended for clenching and grinding. Mouth guards work because they separate your bottom and upper teeth. The mouth guard fits over your upper or lower teeth and helps prevent damage caused by bruxism.

The way you breathe can cause problems for oral health. When you breathe through your mouth, especially while sleeping, it could lead to dry mouth. Not only is dry mouth uncomfortable, it can also cause gum disease.

Mouth breathing is usually associated with a lack of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide, which is produced in the sinuses, increases blood oxygen by as much as eighteen percent and increases oxygen efficiency as well. This means your lungs are better able to absorb oxygen. When you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose, you are missing vital health benefits.

If you have a problem with mouth breathing, call and schedule an appointment with Dr. Frankie Neman as she will work with you, come up with a proper diagnosis, and create a custom treatment plan for your mouth breathing.