When most people think of a dentist, they think about teeth. But what if your dentist could also help you stop snoring and get a better night’s sleep?
“Snoring is our body’s signal that our airway is closing and allowing for less air to go through,” said Dr. Sue Shoha, a dentist and the founder of Bio Dentistry of Michigan. “If it’s occasional, that’s one thing, but when there’s loud snoring coupled with not feeling refreshed in the morning, daytime sleepiness or fatigue, clenching, grinding, then it could a sign of a serious medical condition called obstructive sleep apnea.”
Dr. Shoha explained that the treatment options for sleep apnea go beyond the traditional c-pap machine. She shared that another option is a custom oral appliance.
“C-pap is a great treatment modality for severe sleep apnea, but when we make oral appliances that fit over the teeth, that help bring the jaw down and forward keeping the tongue out of the airway, they’re comfortable, people like them, and they work, and they work really, really well for mild to moderate sleep apnea or the people that can’t wear a c-pap machine,” Dr. Shoha said.
“The reason that obstructive sleep apnea is such a big deal is that oxygen can drop throughout the night, and it puts such a big stress on the cardiovascular system,” Dr. Shoha said.
Watch the video above or click here to learn more about oral appliances used to help treat obstructive sleep apnea.