Weston dentist Stephen J. Pyle has expanded his practice to include the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea for his patients. A specialist in the design of sleep apnea dental appliances, Dr. Pyle has brought relief from heavy snoring, daytime fatigue and drowsiness and reduced the risk of serious sleep apnea health risks for many of his Weston patients.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a much bigger problem than simply causing loud snoring. In essence, the sleep apnea patient is sporadically cutting off oxygen to the blood supply which has a detrimental effect on all the organs including the brain and the heart. Undertreated sleep apnea can contribute to stroke, heart attack, hypertension, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. It’s a serious condition and unfortunately, one that mostly goes undiagnosed.
Do You Know the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
While there are no firm and fast symptoms that point specifically to obstructive sleep apnea, there are several common conditions that would warrant a trip to a sleep disorder specialist for evaluation. These symptoms include:
- Regular occurrences of snoring loud enough to awaken a partner
- Periods of breathlessness observed by another person
- Waking up with "dry mouth" or a headache
- Feeling drowsy or fatigued during the day
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Waking up gasping for air
These symptoms take on more relevance if you are obese, have a large neck size or routinely sleep on your back. Sleep apnea is caused by the blockage of the airway when the tongue and soft tissue in the back of the mouth collapse when relaxed (sleep). Gravity obviously plays a role and the more pressure or weight you place on that area the greater the chance of collapse.
It’s important to remember that sleep apnea can only be diagnosed by a sleep disorder MD. However, Dr. Pyle is trained in the treatment of sleep apnea and can assess the conditions in your mouth and refer you to a Weston area sleep apnea specialist for diagnosis.
If you feel that sleep apnea has become part of your life, feel free to call Weston dentistry office for an evaluation by Dr. Pyle. Sleep apnea is a serious condition but recent advances have made its treatment far less intrusive and much more comfortable than before. Call us today with your questions.
