If you experience common warning signs of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and have trouble obtaining the rest you need to feel alert and happy, then you need a diagnosis. The first part of the process is often a simple sleep assessment from your Greenville, TX, dentist. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about diagnosing your rest issues!

OSA

With OSA, as you sleep the tissues in the back of your mouth and in your throat become a little too relaxed as you sleep. The tissues threaten collapse and cut off airflow, often completely. You literally stop breathing for several seconds multiple times a night. Even if you have no memory of these episodes, they can happen hundreds of times each night and over time, lead to negative impacts on your quality of life and your immune and heart health.

What Our Assessment Looks For

First, we want to look at common factors behind the disorder that could impact your rest, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and age. Next, we will talk about common symptoms you may experience, such as daytime drowsiness, energy loss during the day, or issues with moodiness or depression. We also want to you know your mental health has taken a dip, or if you experience frequent snoring or stop breathing suddenly or waking up choking while resting. Other signs of trouble include dry mouth, or the inability to focus during the day. If these answers point to an issue like OSA, then we may suggest an at-home test.

We will send you home with a pulse oximeter device, which will sit at your bedside and register high blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and cessation of breathing. When we look at the results, we will either recommend a physician-ordered sleep study in a lab, or we may move forward with treatment right away.

Treatment and Benefits

For treatment, we may suggest an oral appliance instead of a CPAP machine. The oral device is custom-fitted for your smile and fits completely like a mouthguard as you rest. The device then moves the jaw forward just slightly, enough to prevent the collapse these soft tissues so you breathe without interruption the entire night. Better sleep means you feel more rested during the day, and also that you don’t risk straining your immune system, or developing high blood pressure or heart disease. If you have any question about our assessment process, then contact our team today.

Smith Family Dentistry in Greenville Offers a Sleep Assessment

At Smith Family Dentistry, our team wants to help you obtain the treatment you need to avoid serious OSA-related complications. To learn more about diagnosing common disorders, then talk to Dental Sleep Solutions of Greenville by contacting our office at 903-455-0516.