How Does Diabetes Increase My Risk of Gum Disease?
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It's Not Just Snoring: Why You Shouldn't Ignore Extreme Snoring
If you’re one of the 22 million Americans with sleep apnea, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, many people with sleep apnea don’t even realize they have it. Yet, one of the most common symptoms is loud, intense snoring.
Because untreated sleep apnea can increase your risk for heart attacks and high blood pressure, Dr. David Blaustein and our team of providers at Chelsea Dental Aesthetics in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City suggest you come see us if you’re concerned about your snoring. We can help you get the relief you need.
Here’s what you need to know about sleep apnea.
When snoring isn’t just snoring
Occasional snoring is common, especially if you have a stuffy nose. However, if you’re snoring so loudly that you wake yourself (or your family), it’s worth mentioning.
You might also suspect you have sleep apnea if your snoring is accompanied by morning headaches, dry/sore throat, and feeling unrefreshed after a night of sleep.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in your breathing. There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway is obstructed when throat muscles gently relax, causing snoring and gasping for air
- Central sleep apnea, in which the pauses in breathing occur if your brain doesn't send “breathing signals” to your body
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome, which is a combination of the above types of sleep apnea
Untreated sleep apnea can impact your heart health. As your body tries to respond to the pauses in breathing, your blood pressure may increase. Night after night of increased blood pressure can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes. That’s why addressing intense snoring is so important.
How is sleep apnea treated?
The good news is that we can treat sleep apnea. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment is a common option for treating sleep apnea, but many individuals find that sleeping with these machines isn’t comfortable.
Dr. Blaustein offers an alternative to the CPAP machine: an intraoral device. The device fits into your mouth just like a mouthguard. It prevents dangerous obstructive sleep apnea episodes by keeping your tongue in the right position.
Don’t ignore extreme snoring — we can help!
Dr. Blaustein and our team at Chelsea Dental Aesthetics provide comprehensive dental care. From treating sleep apnea to addressing TMJ problems, our goal is to promote good oral health for your whole mouth — not just your teeth.
To schedule an appointment, call our Manhattan clinic at 917-633-7312, or use our online booking tool.
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