Taking care of your teeth is just one aspect of your overall preventive dental routine. After all, your smile is comprised of multiple components, and as such, your at-home routine should be reflective of this. Keep in mind, however, that just because concerns such as tooth decay and gum disease are common, that does not mean they are the only issues you have to consider. In today’s blog, your Overland Park, KS dentist takes a look at the way nontraditional oral health issues affect your smile, including why it is important to seek sleep apnea treatment.
Are You Affected by Sleep Apnea?
It goes without saying that your smile is heavily influenced by a variety of concerns. From oral bacteria to germs, diseases, and virtually everything else in-between, there is hardly anything that your smile is safe from. As a result, it is important you are taking steps to prevent these issues from wreaking havoc in the first place. Still, however, how can protect against concerns you are not even certain are an immediate issue?
Indeed, this question is applicable to a variety of nontraditional dental concerns such as bruxism, TMJ Disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). When taking a look at the latter, we see that obstructive sleep apnea is a phenomenon that occurs when a person is asleep and the airway becomes restricted, preventing necessary amounts of oxygen from traveling to the brain.
One of the telltale signs that you may be experiencing issues with sleep apnea is if you or a partner has reported significant bouts of snoring. Indeed, this is a natural bodily response in an attempt at survival, and it is best to visit our team and inquire about your options before it becomes a bigger concern.
Why You Should Seek Treatment
Though snoring may seem minor in the grand scheme of things, keep in mind that this is only the beginning. Indeed, sleep apnea can be characterized by periods of stopped breathing that are resumed after a certain amount of time.
What’s more? Because the brain sends signals to briefly rouse you each time this happens in an effort to correct the issue, a direct result includes daytime fatigue, insomnia at night, trouble focusing, irritability, and more. Give our team a call today to learn more about this process.
Knowing Where to Begin
Not only does OSA lead to immediate effects, but it can have a lifelong impact on your overall health. Indeed, cardiovascular complications can arise, and the longer you wait to seek help, the worse the situation will be. Fortunately, our team has just the treatment to help in the form of an oral appliance!
Learn More Today
Contact Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS by calling 913-381-2600 to learn more about need for sleep apnea treatment, and schedule your next appointment with our office today.