Roughly, 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, making this disorder one of our nation’s biggest health problems. In addition to lack of sleep, it is associated with several medical conditions. However, many people with sleep apnea remain undiagnosed.

The National Sleep Foundation reported that sleep apnea likely affects as much as 20% of the population and has been found that about 85% of individuals with sleep apnea don’t even know they have it. Part of this may be because the symptoms of sleep apnea can be somewhat vague and general.

Sleep apnea is a common condition in which your breathing stops and restarts many times while you sleep. This can prevent your body from getting enough oxygen. Common symptoms include snoring, gasping, choking, or silent pauses in breathing during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue.

Undiagnosed and untreated obstructive sleep apnea can have serious health implications, including increased cardiovascular disease, stroke, metabolic disease, excessive daytime sleepiness, work-place errors, traffic accidents and death.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and is considered the gold standard. A CPAP machine uses a hose connected to a mask or nosepiece to deliver constant and steady air pressure to help you breathe while you sleep. However, many people do not tolerate using this machine.

The good news is that there are effective alternative treatments available.

Lifestyle changes, including better sleep hygiene, weight loss and regular exercise, have shown to lessen disease severity, but may not be enough.

For patients that are CPAP-intolerant, or those with less than severe sleep apnea, there is the option of a fitted dental mouthpiece. This device will adjust the lower jaw and keep the tongue from blocking the airway and is made by a dentist trained & qualified in dental sleep medicine.

Dental sleep medicine is an area of our dental practice that focuses on the use of oral appliance therapy to treat sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

It is imperative for all primary care providers, including dentists, to screen their patients for symptoms of OSA. At our Oakwood Dental Arts Tottenville location, Dr. Ronald Rao is trained and qualified by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and is a Diplomate of American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine designation. Dr Rao is dedicated, and working closely with a local network of doctors, to identify and treat patients suffering from sleep-disordered breathing.

Please call now for a consultation. 718-356-9800