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Newport Center Smile Design
K. Douglas Barker, D.M.D.
Cosmetic & General Dentistry located in Newport Beach, CA
If you experience sleep apnea, you’re not alone. Nearly 22 million Americans have the condition, which can rob you of valuable sleep and lead to serious health complications. K. Douglas Barker, DMD, offers excellent sleep apnea treatments at Newport Center Smile Design. Call the office in Newport Beach, California, or use the online tool to schedule your sleep apnea consultation today.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition that makes it difficult to properly breathe while you’re sleeping. It’s most commonly caused by an obstruction to your airway, which can happen if the soft tissues in the back of your throat collapse when they’re relaxed. It can also happen if your tongue is too big for your jaw or vice versa.
When you experience sleep apnea, you stop breathing numerous times throughout the night. These episodes of breathlessness can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and can occur hundreds of times during the night.
During these periods of breathlessness, your body is deprived of essential oxygen, which can cause a variety of serious complications to your overall health.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
The most prominent symptom of sleep apnea is loud snoring or interrupted breathing. Because these symptoms happen while you’re asleep, they often are recognized by a sleep partner.
Sleep apnea can produce other symptoms, including:
- Waking up gasping for air
- Headaches in the morning
- Dry mouth when you wake up
- Irritability
- Lack of focus throughout the day
- Insomnia, or difficulty staying asleep
- Hypersomnia, or intense sleepiness during the day
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms and suspect you might have sleep apnea, schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist. They’ll administer a sleep study to officially diagnose you with the condition.
If you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, you can schedule a visit with Newport Center Smile Design to discuss treatment options.
What are the dangers of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea prevents you from getting a healthy amount of oxygen, which can have grave consequences for your overall health. Leaving your sleep apnea untreated can result in:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Liver problems
Sleep apnea also leaves you at a higher risk for heart attack, stroke, and abnormal heartbeats. And if you sleep with a partner, the loud snoring from your sleep apnea can significantly interfere with their sleep as well.
How do you treat sleep apnea?
At Newport Center Smile Design, Dr. Barker treats sleep apnea with a special mouthguard called a mandibular advancement device.
When you wear your mandibular advancement device, it pushes your lower jaw slightly forward, which helps to open your airway and facilitate proper oxygen intake.
It is an excellent alternative for patients who are intolerant of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines since they’re much less obtrusive and easier to sleep with.
Schedule a visit with Newport Center Smile Design over the phone or online today, and learn how Dr. Barker can help you get the good night’s rest you deserve.