If you wake up tired, congested, or short of breath, you may be living with sleep apnea. This disorder causes you to repeatedly stop breathing while you're asleep due to the throat muscles relaxing until they obstruct your airway. Luckily, a dentist may be able to help you manage this serious condition with a custom mouthguard. Here’s a closer look at sleep apnea and how you may strive for healthy, refreshing sleep.

How Does Sleep Apnea Affect Your Health?

Poor sleep has immediate and long-term health risks. You may wake up fatigued, find it hard to focus, or have trouble with critical thinking. Reduced cognition has negative effects at school and work where you need to think clearly to perform. You may also wake up irritable or depressed, which impacts how you interact with people and embrace challenges.

Constantly waking up at night stresses your body, and hormones react by increasing your blood pressure. This strains your cardiovascular system, which may gradually make you more susceptible to heart disease. Obstructed breathing also means less oxygen is being delivered to the heart and brain. This can contribute to stroke and cause a fluttering heartbeat.

Obesity and sleep apnea often accompany one another because fat deposits restrict airways. This has led to a rise in type 2 diabetes, as poor sleep keeps the body from using insulin effectively. Blood sugar imbalances may then contribute to the development of this condition.

How Can a Dentist Help?

A dentist may craft an oral appliance or mouthguard to help with sleep apnea. The guard will be custom-fit to your mouth and worn while you sleep. By holding the jaw in a specific position, the guard helps open your upper airway. Other products may hold your tongue down to keep airways open.

Your dentist will also advise on lifestyle changes. A healthy, well-balanced diet will help you lose excess weight. Cutting out sugars and acidic foods will also prevent tooth decay. Patients are advised to avoid alcohol and tobacco. In the most serious cases, they’ll recommend surgery to remove excess tissue that’s contributing to the disorder.

Residents of Chillicothe, OH, turn to William U. Britton, DDS, MAGD, for dental care and sleep apnea solutions. Dr. Britton will help you explore custom mouthguard options to manage your condition and achieve a sound night’s sleep every night. Explore the practice’s services on the website and call (740) 772-2225 to schedule a consultation today.