Many adults face sleep apnea at night. It is when they stop breathing for anywhere from 10-30 seconds, up to a few minutes at a time, depending on how severe the diagnosis is.
If you were recently diagnosed with sleep apnea, you need to go in and see your dentist.
The customized mouth guard that they can provide you may help reduce your symptoms. Here are some of the more common causes of apnea in adults, which may help you figure out where yours came from.
Genetics is one cause of sleep apnea. If you had parents that had it, it may be coming down the pipes for you, too. There is not much you can do if genetics is the reason you have apnea. However, if you care for yourself, you can often minimize the severity.
Weight is another common cause of apnea. The more overweight a person is, the more likely they are to struggle with apnea. Losing weight is one of the most common initial treatments for apnea. If you are overweight, you may want to consider trying to lose a few pounds and see if it can help.
Drinking is another common cause of apnea. It can depress the body's systems, and make your body less responsive. This can make it a much more difficult struggle to breathe while asleep. Avoiding drinking at all would be good, not only for your sleep, but also for the health of your mouth and body.
If you struggle with sleep apnea, speak with your dentist. They want to help you, and have the resources to do so. Ask them what can be done to help you sleep and breathe better, and let them know from there what options you are willing to try.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (512) 506-9889 today.
