Stop Snoring, Start Living!

Sleeping disorders are one of the most common health problems in America.  They are also some of the most serious. Unfortunately, sleeping disorders, especially sleep apnea, are grossly over-looked, ignored, tolerated, misdiagnosed and mistreated.  Even when sleep apnea is correctly diagnosed and treated, compliance with treatment is low.

What most people don’t realize is that sleeping disorders, especially sleep apnea, can be deadly.

What Causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when the tissues of the throat are so lax or narrowed that air cannot pass normally.  This decreases the amount of air to the lungs, the heart has to work harder, and quality sleep is interrupted, all interfering with healthy living.

Many, if not all, snoring patients should be evaluated for sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea occurs when the tongue and surrounding tissues collapse to the back of the throat, causing the person to momentarily shut off all airways to the lungs.  The patient stops breathing.  This causes the brain to initiate a muscle spasm to reopen the airway (the brain really doesn’t like not getting oxygen).

A Health Risk
An interrupted night’s sleep isn’t the real problem. A patient with sleep apnea is three to five times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, and is seven times more likely to die in his or her sleep. 

As our population gets increasingly overweight, the percentage of the population that suffers from sleep apnea increases.  But this problem is not confined to middle-aged men who may be carrying some extra weight.

Conservative estimates place patients with sleep disorders at 12 percent of the public.  These people are shaving years off their lives by adding stress to their heart muscles.  But a scarier fact is… they’re endangering all of us.

These folks just aren’t getting enough good sleep.  They are constantly tired, and are at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel of a car.  A sleep-deprived person is as high a risk for causing an accident as someone impaired by excessive alcohol consumption.

The Problem with Treatment
Why is the problem so prevalent? Many people think snoring is normal, not a sign of a health problem. Others refuse to be tested and diagnosed with sleep apnea because they know what the most common recommended therapy is – a CPAP (continuing positive airway pressure) machine. The CPAP is both uncomfortable and inconvenient. It’s essentially a gas mask, worn over the face or nose, attached to a hose of forced oxygen provided by a noisy machine.  No wonder compliance is terrible! Many patients think it’s just easier to suffer from the snoring than to try to sleep wearing a CPAP face mask.

An Alternative to CPAP
At the Coleman Center for cosmetic dentistry, we offer a convenient, comfortable alternative to sleep apnea treatment – a custom made oral appliance. We can fabricate an oral appliance that is worn only while you sleep. It has no machine, no mask.  A patient can talk with it in his mouth, and even drink from a glass.  Best of all, these patients can once again get a good, restful, healthy night’s sleep in the same room as their spouse.

If you snore, know someone who does, or know a non-compliant CPAP patient, please call 800-994-0706 or click here for a free evaluation to see if this non-invasive, non-surgical therapy would be right for you!