Sleep Apnea Treatment in Kennewick, WA
Maybe you wake up gasping for air, or you find yourself suffering from nearly debilitating daytime sleepiness. These symptoms aren’t just unpleasant; they can interfere with your daily life. For instance, you might have difficulty concentrating. It could even affect your ability to drive if you find yourself falling asleep randomly to compensate for the lack of restful sleep.
At A Family Dental Center, serving Kennewick and the nearby region, a dentist near you helps you improve your quality of sleep using dental techniques like a specially-fitted mouthguard.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea classifies as a sleep disorder. It causes you to have issues breathing while you sleep. In fact, your breathing starts and stops. As a result, you don’t get a full night’s sleep. Additionally, you don’t receive enough oxygen in your blood.
The most common form of sleep apnea is constructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your throat muscles relax as you sleep. As a result, you may experience any of the following:
- Episodes where you stop breathing
- Morning headaches
- Gasping for air
- Irritability
- Snoring
- Insomnia
- Daytime sleepiness
How Does Sleep Apnea Relate to Dentistry?
You may wonder how dentistry and sleep apnea relate. Well, teeth grinding is an issue a dentist near you often sees in sleep apnea patients. You may have other oral issues if you have sleep apnea, such as a scalloped tongue. Not to mention, our dentist can provide sleep apnea treatment in Kennewick by fitting you for an oral appliance that opens your airways.
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea in Kennewick
A dentist near you can either refer you to a sleep specialist or send you home with a test that you take back to a sleep disorder clinic.
Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea Treatment in Kennewick
Our dentist may fit you for a mouthguard. You situate this oral appliance in your mouth while you sleep. It restricts teeth grinding and also opens your throat because it brings your jaw forward. This treatment is for patients with obstructive sleep apnea as opposed to central sleep apnea.
Contact A Family Dental Center, serving Kennewick and beyond, to discover if sleep apnea treatment from a dentist near you could improve your quality of sleep.