Sleep is the basis of good health. Sleep allows our body and mind to rejuvenate and recover.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) and Snoring are sleep-related disorders. Over time they can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
If you are diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea your airway periodically closes over and prevents air from getting to your lungs while asleep. An apnoea event can last from 10 seconds and in severe cases over a minute! (Imagine trying to hold your breath for over a minute while awake). Numerous apnoeas throughout the night cause sleep disturbance and put a strain on your heart.
How do I know if I have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
Common signs and symptoms include:
- Excessive snoring
- Partner notices you stop breathing
- Choking or gasping during sleep
- Frequent night time bathroom visits
- Daytime tiredness
- Lack of energy
- Poor concentration and memory
- Falling Asleep during the day
What are the consequences if I do nothing about it?
People who leave diagnosed sleep apnoea untreated are at a significant increased risk of:
- Stroke
- Heart Attack
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.
How do I go about finding out whether I have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea or not?
At Coast Family Dental, we screen our patients for the possibility of Sleep Apnoea during a dental examination. Some patients may have morphological reasons which are contributing to their sleep apnea (enlarged tongue, tonsils etc). A thorough assessment is conducted and if deemed appropriate our team will refer you to an Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon or for a sleep study. We are fortunate enough to be able to offer an at home sleep study. A sleep study is the only objective way of determining whether you have sleep apnoea or not.
I have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, what are my treatment options?
Once a confirmed diagnosis is received your main options (besides weight loss and surgery) are a CPAP machine or an Oral Appliance which is custom made to fit your mouth.
CPAP
A CPAP machine or a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine is recommended for use in moderate to severe OSA.
Although a CPAP is a very reliable and effective method of treatment some patients do not like the idea of wearing a ‘mask’ at night. Studies do show that the compliance rate with using a CPAP machine is low with patients only wearing the device for on average 3 hours per night.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral Appliance Therapy is recommended for patients with mild to moderate OSA. However recent studies do show that even in severe cases oral appliance therapy does have a benefit where patients are not able to manage CPAP therapy.
How do Oral Appliances for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea work?
The appliance is a custom fitted dental device which is worn over your upper and lower teeth while you sleep. The device is designed to keep your airway open by holding your lower jaw forward. The device is comfortable, discreet and easy to use.
These devices are fitted by our specially trained dentists at Coast Family Dental over a few visits.
If you are concerned that you or a loved one may have sleep apnoea feel free to contact Coast Family Dental on (07) 5437 9000 for a consultation.
