How Does Sleep Apnea Start?
Much like the famous “chicken or egg” question, the origins of disordered breathing can often be elusive. Is it genetic? Environmental? Both?
Research is uncovering more and more answers about sleep apnea, allowing dentists and health care providers to better diagnose and treat it. As with many disorders, in the case of sleep apnea, both environmental and genetic predispositions can lead people to develop it. In terms of genetic predispositions, mouth size and shape can play a part in disordered breathing. Build and body type may also be determinants, and sleep apnea is cyclical. We find that adults who are overweight often have sleep apnea, and it may be the lack of healthy sleep that’s affecting their weight. Observations of athletes have uncovered a pattern of mouth breathing in order to meet the oxygen demands of their physical activity. Over time, mouth breathing may start to change the shape of the jaw. This changes the shape of the airway, leading to a predisposition to distressed breathing, including sleep apnea. These are some of the reasons we often see sleep apnea in adults. Disordered breathing often goes undiagnosed in children or is treated with methods that don’t solve the root cause but actually make the
condition worse. By the time they’ve grown up, those patterns are set. Ten years of snoring leads the soft tissues in the back of the throat to change because of the force. As we age, our bodies can’t resist this force as much, and we succumb to the condition. The condition grows worse, and you end up with severe sleep apnea. The good news is that with new research comes new solutions to treating this disorder. At Nagy Family Dental Group, we are well equipped to diagnose and treat sleep apnea in both children and adults. Talk to us if you have noticed any symptoms of sleep apnea, like snoring, frequent morning headaches, or extreme tiredness, in yourself or your family members. We can do more if we diagnose and treat it early.
Custom Mouthguards
For Student Athletes
Did you know we make custom mouthguards for ALL student athletes? These mouthguards are highly personalized and extremely durable, offer optimal safety and comfort, and give the best protection available! We can even make them match your student’s school colors! Give us a call at 440-937-8878 or ask at your next appointment about how you can get your student athlete their own customized mouthguard for only $20. ($185 value)
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