Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment Oakland, CA
The Importance
of Getting the Rest You Require to Maintain Proper Health
Sufficient sleep is critical to overall health. You need air, water, and food. You also need sleep. It
is essential that your brain and body have the time required to re-boot and collect enough energy for
the next day.
Your body, especially your heart, gathers stress during the day. When you finally sleep at night, your
heart slows itself down and starts to decompress, relieving the stresses it has accumulated. While
sleeping, your brain and body revitalize themselves. Your blood pressure lowers, and the pace of age-related
diseases reduces. Getting enough sleep can curb illnesses such as obesity, hypertension, memory loss, and diabetes.
Not getting enough sleep can burden your heart by placing strain and stress on the muscle. Heart attacks,
stroke, cardiovascular disease, and – in severe circumstances – death have all been connected to problems
with sleep disorders.
Snoring Is More Than an Annoyance
Snoring is frequently a pre-cursor to a bigger health concern called sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea
experience an obstruction in their airway. Most of the time, they aren’t even aware of it. This obstruction
prevents them from getting consistent oxygen throughout the night. Sleep apnea is a major contributing factor
for heart disease. Those suffering from sleep apnea may experience elevated blood pressure, which is a risk
factor in acquiring heart disease and stroke.
It’s true that sleep loss can result in serious health concerns and premature death. Sleep deprivation can
also have negative effects on brain function, increasing stress hormones and leading to depression.
Even for those with mild sleep apnea, being fitted with an oral appliance can result in the reduction or even
cessation of snoring.
Our Alternative to CPAP
The traditional treatment for sleep apnea has been the CPAP machine, and it remains the gold standard for moderate
to severe sleep apnea. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Air Pressure. The patient is fitted with a device that
pumps a continuous stream of air into their nose or mouth throughout the night. However, people often find this
uncomfortable for sleeping and they stop wearing the mask.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and can’t tolerate the CPAP, we can offer you an alternative sleep apnea dental treatment in our Oakland, CA dental clinic. Our doctors
can custom fit patients with an oral appliance such as the Respire Blue Series™ or TAP™ (Thornton Adjustable Positioner).
These are small acrylic devices that fit over the upper and lower teeth much like an orthodontic retainer or mouthguard.
They gently realign your tongue and jaw to open the airway and allow more air flow to the lungs during sleep. They are
easy to wear and clean as well as convenient for travel. These devices are very comfortable and have a high success
rate for those living with sleep apnea and snoring.
Snoring and sleep apnea don’t have to fill your nights. Give us a call today
at (510) 530-7000 for a no-cost/no-obligation consultation.
