05 Jan Helpful Strategies for Managing Sleep Apnea
In addition to making you feel tired during the day and disturbing your sleep partner, sleep apnea increases your risk for a host of health problems. If you see your dentist for treatment, you can avoid these additional problems and get a good night’s sleep every night. Here’s a quick look at some helpful strategies for managing sleep apnea.
CPAP
Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when the airway is closed while you sleep, preventing you from getting the air you need. It can happen due to being overweight, drinking alcohol late at night, or having a small airway in the nose or throat. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. This is a common treatment for sleep apnea, and the goal is to force air into your airway and open them up when they collapse. This constant intake of air can prevent the snoring, snorting, and repeated waking that sleep apnea sufferers experience at night.
Lowering Your Risk
As common as it is to hear someone snoring, sleep apnea is not a normal condition. By identifying the risk factors, you can make changes to reduce your symptoms. Consider exercising and eating healthier to lose weight, stop using tobacco products, and ensure you can breath through your nose to ensure you control your blood pressure to lower your risk for sleep apnea.
Oral Appliances
If a CPAP machine doesn’t do the trick and you’re having no luck with your lifestyle changes, then you might need an oral appliance. This treatment adjusts the position of your lower jaw to help keep your airway open. There are different kinds of oral appliances, so you can find one that’s right for you, so you can get a full night of comfortable and consistent sleep. Do you need help managing your sleep apnea? You need a dentist in Tucson like John Carson, DDS. Our practice offers general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and sleep apnea treatment. Visit our website or give us a call at (520) 514-7203.