Obstructive untreated sleep apnea can easily lead to major health implications. Yet, many people ignore this condition and never meet a sleep apnea specialist.
It’s a condition where your airway is blocked and your brain doesn’t get enough oxygen. As a result, the patient wakes up several times at night and therefore never enjoys deep sleep.
As more people would know the symptoms and the possibility of a treatment, the number of people suffering from untreated sleep apnea would definitely reduce.
Know the Symptoms
Untreated sleep apnea can contribute to a reduced lifespan. In a recent study, it was established that the average lifespan of a patient with untreated sleep apnea is 58 years. On the other hands, a normal healthy person has an average lifespan of nearly 78 years, which is even higher for women.
Unfortunately, untreated sleep apnea affects 24% men and 9% women. That’s a huge chunk of the population, considering that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has various treatments and therapies that can help these people.
Obstructed sleep apnea has various symptoms that make it easy to detect the problem.
- Poor concentration
- Poor sleep experience
- Regular silent pauses in breathing
- Morning headaches
- Frequent gasping or choking sounds during sleep
- Memory loss
- Regular mood changes
Health Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea
Despite the availability of diagnosis such as sleep study and availability of treatments, nearly 80% of people with OSA go untreated. They are at a high risk of developing many complicated health issues.
In fact, snoring can lead you to death.
In the year 2000, over 800,000 U.S. drivers snored due to sleep apnea and caused major accidents.
Untreated sleep apnea is a life-threatening condition. Below, learn about the health risks associated with this condition.
- Coronary artery disease
- Congestive heart failure
- Weight gain
- Acid reflux
- Adult asthma
- Cerebrovascular accidents
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
When you have sleep apnea, one of the major threats you face is falling asleep while at the wheel. You can easily become a victim of an accident and lose your life in a flash. So, don’t ignore sleep apnea and visit your dentist at 7 Day Dental office today.
7 Day Dental and Untreated Sleep Apnea
There are some dentists who have special training in the treatment of sleep apnea. At 7 Day Dental in Orange County, Dr. Frank Burrell has years of experience and is highly skilled at treating OSA patients.
Dr. Burrell explains that patients who have OSA are also more likely to clench their jaws and grind their teeth while sleeping. The clenching and grinding syndrome is known as bruxism, and it causes further health problems.
Bruxism is caused by extra force placed on teeth. This force damages your teeth and causes cracking. It can also lead to fractures and weakens the jaw muscles. Treating for sleep apnea many times stops bruxism.
Dr. Burrell will diagnose you for sleep apnea when you visit the 7 Day Dental office. He will then discuss different treatment options with you including special oral appliances. These oral appliances are easier to wear than a CPAP machine but are found as effective as CPAP machine in most cases.
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