Your partner can’t sleep because you snore? Is it finally time to eliminate it? The Yuma Dentist may be able to help.
Snoring sounds can develop when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses onto the soft palate. This narrows the air passageway. As you breathe, this area opens and closes—with a noisy result.
Your snoring might be due to a condition called sleep apnea. With Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the air passageway not only narrows, you actually stop breathing. These pauses can last for up to a minute and occur repeatedly dozens or even hundreds of time per night.
Many people with sleep apnea snore, but not all snorers have sleep apnea. Regular snoring does not generally wake you up during the night. (Though it may wake your partner up again and again.)
Is My Snoring a Symptom of Sleep Apnea?
- Do you wake up several times during the night gasping?
- Are you excessively tired during the day?
- Do you wake up with a headache?
- Do you nod off during the day because you are sleepy?
- Are your mouth and throat noticeably dry when you wake up?
Snoring is not merely an annoyance. It can have significant health consequences. And sleep apnea is even more dangerous because it completely cuts off the oxygen flow.
There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea: This is the most prevalent type. It is caused by throat muscles relaxing and blocking the airway.
- Central Sleep Apnea: The cause of the breathing cessation arises in the central nervous system. The brain fails to control the breathing muscles.
- Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome (Treatment-emergent Central Sleep Apnea): This condition is present when a person has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.
Can My Dentist Help Me Stop Snoring?
At The Yuma Dentist, we treat snoring and OSA. Please call us to schedule a consultation. We also provide general dentistry. Make an appointment today!
Contact Yuma Family Dentist:
928-783-0804
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1630 S Pacific Ave Ste 104
Yuma, AZ
85365
