Has someone complained about your snoring?
If your roommates or romantic partner has complained about your snoring, Dr. Larsen can offer solutions that will improve your sleep and your overall health and wellness. Snoring may seem like a harmless habit, though it can cause significant damage to your overall health and daily quality of life. In addition to the most common dental concerns patients are familiar with, Dr. Larsen treats snoring and sleep apnea.
Additionally, snoring indicates that you struggle to maintain proper airflow while you sleep, which can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease, among other concerns. The goal of your treatment is to restore natural breathing, minimize symptoms and restore quality sleep.
Although anyone, even young children, can be diagnosed with sleep apnea or a sleep-related disorder, there are certain risk factors that it is important to be aware of:
- Males, especially those over the age of 45
- Being overweight or obese
- Diabetic patients
- A large neck circumference
- Smoker
- Family history
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Bountiful, Utah
The quality of your sleep has a dramatic impact on your overall health. This is why Larsen Family Dental encourages you to bring your snoring concerns to our attention, as we want to do everything we can to ensure you are enjoying your best quality of life.
Here are some commonly asked questions regarding our sleep apnea treatment:
How is sleep apnea treated?
For mild to moderate cases, Dr. Larsen can create a custom oral appliance that keeps the airways open, allowing you to experience uninterrupted sleep. This appliance functions like a night guard and holds the jaw in a comfortable resting position that allows for constant airflow. Our office can prescribe one of several types of these oral appliances, including EMA®, TAP®, ZYPPAH®, and Silent Nite®.
What causes me to snore?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder that often requires a sleep test to diagnose. Patients with sleep apnea experience a collapse of the soft tissues at the back of the throat, which block the airway and cause momentary cessation of natural breathing repeatedly during sleep. Patients with sleep apnea often snore to restart their breath and may awaken gasping for air.
How do I know if I have sleep apnea?
Occasional snoring happens to many people, but chronic snoring can indicate sleep apnea or a sleep disorder. It can be difficult to know how often you snore without someone else telling you about it. However, if you frequently wake yourself up in the middle of the night, it is possible this is because of your snoring.
Additionally, if you feel tired even after sleeping or experience headaches and irritability throughout the day, this could be caused by nighttime snoring as well.
Dr. Larsen can work with patients to diagnose sleep apnea and present them with suitable treatment options. The diagnosis usually involves an at-home sleep test. Patients are given at-home sleep tests that are later analyzed by Dr. Larsen and a sleep medicine specialist. The at-home test is very simple and provides valuable information within a few nights.
What aggravates sleep apnea symptoms?
Multiple factors can worsen your symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Sleeping on your back
- Eating fatty foods
- Using sedatives
- Drinking alcohol
These factors can relax the muscles in your throat and constrict your airway, making breathing harder.
Will weight loss cure sleep apnea?
In most cases, lifestyle changes like losing weight can help address sleep apnea. While losing weight can reduce symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, it doesn’t always make sleep apnea symptoms disappear.
Sometimes, factors like a receded chin, high neck circumference, and narrow upper airway will naturally increase your risk of sleep apnea. Weight loss can contribute to improved symptoms, but we will take other factors of your sleep apnea disorder into account when suggesting treatment.
What is the difference between a custom night guard and a CPAP machine?
Most patients benefit from our conservative approach to sleep apnea treatment. Oral appliances are portable and can be discreetly carried with you when you go on vacation or business trips. In addition to using an oral appliance, some patients work with their general physician or a sleep medicine specialist to determine if a CPAP machine is necessary to treat their sleep apnea as well.
A CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure machine is prescribed to patients who experience extreme sleep apnea. This machine delivers a steady stream of air through a face mask, helping to maintain uninterrupted breathing during the night.
Schedule an appointment with our team today to discuss your concerns, a recent diagnosis, and our sleep apnea treatment options.