It’s More Than a Snore: The Real Dangers of Untreated Sleep Apnea

Snoring can disrupt sleep for both the person snoring and their partner, but while it is an occasional nuisance for most people, it can also be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. It’s believed that around twenty-six percent of Americans between the ages of thirty and seventy have the condition and many of these people have not been diagnosed with it. Here are a few signs of sleep apnea, how it is dangerous for your health, and what you can do to treat it.

What’s So Bad About Sleep Apnea?

When a patient with obstructive sleep apnea goes to sleep, the muscles and other tissues in the neck and throat relax. The resulting pressure closes off the patient’s airway, causing them to stop breathing for several seconds before awakening. This is more common in patients who are overweight. This condition can disrupt a patient’s sleep more than one hundred times in a single night, leading to or contributing to health problems such as:

• Cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Adult Asthma
• Acid Reflux
• Weight gain
• Mental fogginess
• Sleepiness during the day
• Memory loss
• Depression
• Vehicular accidents

If you already have conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea can aggravate them and make treating them more complicated.

How Can Sleep Apnea Be Treated?

Sleep apnea can have severe long-term consequences if it is left untreated for a long time. Fortunately, a dentist can diagnose and treat sleep apnea. If you believe you have sleep apnea, an examination can confirm that you do, classify the severity of the case, and allow your dentist to determine an appropriate course of action. A common treatment for sleep apnea is called a CPAP machine, which pumps humidified air through the nose. This maintains enough pressure to keep the airway open and prevents interruptions in breathing.

Snoring, restless sleep, frequent waking at night, and tiredness during the day are all signs of sleep apnea. If you or your partner believe that you have sleep apnea, consulting with a dentist or sleep specialist can help you learn how to best achieve many restful nights of sleep.

About the Author

Dr. Stephen Dean earned his dental doctorate from the Medical University of South Carolina and pursues continuing education courses through prestigious institutions like the Dawson Academy and the Pankey Institute. He is a proud member of the American Dental Association, the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, and the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorder Disciplines. His office in Covington, GA offers treatments for sleep apnea. If you’re concerned that you might have sleep apnea, contact the office online or dial (770) 710-5268.