Snoring, Is It Harmful To My Health?

The Relationship Between Snoring, Sleep Apnea And Your Health

I have been suddenly awoken more than once by my wife’s gentle nudging saying that I am snoring loudly and the noise wakes her up or doesn’t let her go to sleep.  Luckily it only happens when I have a problem with nasal congestion and I end up breathing through my mouth at night.  Sometimes snoring is so severe that it affects relationships and your sleeping partner chooses to go to another room in order to get a good night's sleep.

It is estimated that about half of the population in the states snore, and that percentage increases with age and obesity, so this is a very common problem.

So what! You might say, what is a little noise during sleep, it is only an annoyance that my wife (or husband)  has been able to accept about me and does not complain about it any more.  Well, it is well documented in the medical literature that a percentage of those of us that snore, do so because of a condition called Sleep Apnea.  In Sleep Apnea the individual stops breathing during sleep at frequent intervals, and this causes lack of oxygen to all parts of the body.  Over time the circulation to the brain is affected and leads to narrowing of blood vessels that can cause a stroke and even death.  This is not a minor nuisance anymore.

Sleep Apnea is diagnosed with a Sleep Study or polysomnogram requested by your physician that records the number of times that you stop breathing during the night, and how long your breathing stops.  Signs that may indicate that you suffer from sleep apnea are sleepiness during the day, irritability, lack of focus and decreased libido to name a few.  If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your physician will recommend a CPAP machine.  It looks like a small reversible vacuum cleaner and has a hose with a mask that attaches to your nose and forces air under pressure to keep your airway from closing so you can breathe without interruptions.

Those persons that have severe sleep apnea, need that machine and CPAP works great for them,  however, those with mild to moderate sleep apnea find the machine cumbersome and difficult to tolerate.  It is those individuals that can benefit from oral appliance therapy.  The appliance is made by your dentist, and moves the jaw forward opening up the airway to prevent an obstruction.  Many persons that tried and stopped using the CPAP machine resort to and do well with the oral appliances.

Here is a SLEEP APNEA QUESTIONNAIRE that may help you determine if you are at risk.

The purpose of this writing will be fulfilled  if I have made you aware of the fact that snoring may be an indication that you, your friend or relative have an undiagnosed condition called sleep apnea that may lead to serious and even life threatening health problems, and that this condition can be easily treated by your physician and dentist and result in an improved quality of life.

 Please talk to your physician or dentist if you think you are at risk.

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204
West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406
Website: http://www.boudetdds.com
Implant Blog: http://www.palm-beach-implants.com