Your phone keeps ringing and you know exactly who it is. You and your friends were supposed to go on a big hike today and they wanted to get an early start. You went to bed at a decent hour, but when you woke up it felt like you hadn’t slept at all. They are obviously wondering why you are late, but you can’t muster up the energy to even pick up the phone, let alone start getting ready. This happens all the time and it makes life so much more difficult. Why can’t you sleep like everyone else? The reason may be because you have sleep apnea. This is a serious condition that affects millions of Americans every night. If you are suffering from sleep apnea in Asheville, you can now get effective treatment from Dr. John White.
Sleep Apnea and You
Whenever you lay down to go to sleep, the soft tissue in your mouth and throat relaxes. Sometimes your breathing can cause this tissue to vibrate, and this is what causes snoring. For people who suffer from sleep apnea, this tissue can actually block their airway for 10 seconds or more. This can happen many times over the course of the night and is tremendously stressful on the body. It does not always wake a person up, but they usually feel its effects in the morning. Some common signs of sleep apnea:
- Consistently exhausted
- Morning headaches
- Loud snoring
- Sore throat or dry mouth upon waking
- Depression
Sleep apnea has also been shown to increase a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Sleep is essential for your overall health, so sleep apnea needs to be treated effectively in order for you to live a normal and healthy life.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
One of the most often prescribed treatments for sleep apnea is a CPAP machine. This works by having a patient wear a mask that is connected to a machine that continually pumps air into them, preventing their airway from becoming blocked. While this helps many patients, it does not work for everyone. Your dentist in Asheville can now offer a viable alternative with oral appliance therapy. This would involve you wearing a small oral device, like a mouth guard, to bed every evening. This would help alleviate your sleep apnea by slightly adjusting your jaw so that your airway cannot become blocked. Every oral appliance from Dr. John White is custom made for each patient. He understands that everyone has individual needs and works hard to meet them. The oral appliances are made from strong and flexible polymers, assuring that they are not only durable, but comfortable as well. Patients can usually drink and talk normally while wearing their oral appliance.
Oral appliances are typically best for patients who have mild to moderate sleep apnea. However, they can also be paired with a CPAP machine to help patients with severe sleep apnea who may not be responsive to either method on their own. The best part about oral appliances is that they are so customizable that they can always be made to suit any situation.
Any Questions?
Dr. John White has been practicing in South Asheville since 1998 and understands your sleep is something to be taken seriously. He diligently works to make sure all of his patients needs are met, and this is why he has been awarded fellowships in organizations like Academy of Dentistry International and the Academy of General Dentistry. If you are struggling with sleep apnea, you’ll find no better care than with Dr. John White. If you have any questions about how he can help you sleep restfully tonight, please give him a call today.