Introduction to Dallas Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a health condition where the person stops breathing multiple times during the night while asleep. This may be due to various causes’ obstruction in the nose, mouth or in the back of the throat. Sometimes sleep apnea may be due to excess weight, tongue tie, small mouth with crowded teeth.
Who needs to be
tested for sleep apnea?
- Snoring with stopping of breathing
- Overweight or obese individuals
Some other signs that may prompt for sleep apnea testing
- Women with neck size
- Men with neck size
- Waking up in the middle of night multiple times with dry mouth to drink water
- Chronic cough
- Constant need to clear your throat during the day
- GERD
- Chronic sinus infections
Signs that may be present at your Dental appointments
- Difficulty getting any dental work done as you feel like choking with mouth open
- Sensitive fillings or fillings that need to be redone multiple times
- Dental work that needs a lot of adjustment
- Chipping of the porcelain on the crowns
- Broken fillings
- Broken teeth
- Clenching and grinding of teeth
What are the other symptoms of sleep apnea?
- High blood pressure
- Increased risk of heart attack
- Increased risk of stroke
- Atrial fibrillation or Afib
- Palpitations
- Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome- high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, increased waist size which are all directly linked to heart disease
- Increased chances of liver disease
- Low testosterone
- Increased urination at night
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability
- Day time sleepiness
How can I get tested for Sleep Apnea?
There are 2 ways to get tested for sleep apnea:
1. Polysomnography is a test done in-lab. You will spend the night at the sleep testing center and the quality of sleep is measured.
2. The second type of test is an at-home sleep test. You will be sent home with a sleep test and you will sleep in the comfort of your home.
Why should I get treated for sleep apnea?
In addition to avoiding all the above mentioned health conditions, good quality sleep is beneficial in numerous ways.
If you are trying to lose weight or shave off a minute off the mile run, good quality sleep is important for rest and repair. Our body needs REM and Non Rem sleep to repair the brain and the body.
It has been shown that driving while sleep deprived for 24 hours has similar cognitive impairment as driving with 0.1 alcohol level in your blood.
Poor quality sleep affects the hormone pathways in our body and increases the cortisol levels.
Interrupted sleep due to snoring and sleep apnea causes daytime sleepiness, brain fog and inability to perform well at work or at school.
Snoring may also affect the personal relations as your partner may move to a different room to avoid disturbance when they are trying to get restful sleep.
Contact UsHow can I get treated for sleep apnea?
If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Bhandaru strongly recommends seeking treatment for a healthier life.
Cpap –continuous positive airway pressure is the gold standard for sleep apnea treatment. You Doctor will send you to a CPAP dispensing company and you will be fitted with a mask. The machine will continuously push oxygen into your nose and help you breathe.
Oral appliance treatment- Dr. Bhandaru will measure your airway and make molds of your teeth. drThe appliance will gently push your jaw forward and opens up your airway.
Can children have sleep apnea?
- Children can have sleep apnea
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea in children?
- Snoring
- Stopping breathing while asleep
- Messy sleeping
- Are the most commonly identified symptoms
- Chronic ear infection or tonsillitis
- Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
Many children with undiagnosed sleep apnea present with the following
- Day time sleepiness
- Inability to stay on talk
- Difficulty controlling/ managing anger
- These children are sometimes labeled as lazy or trouble makers
- Behavioral issues like ADD/ADHD
- Many of the children with undiagnosed sleep apnea are hyperactive
- Chronic allergies
- Bed wetting much later than toddler age
- Crowded / crooked teeth
- Texture issues when eating
- Tongue tie also known as tethered tongue
- Teeth grinding at night
- Delayed loss of primary teeth
Have Questions?
Need Pricing Information?
Our friendly, highly-trained team will take care of your scheduling needs and put you in touch with our staff for a consultation that can feel life-changing. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!
Call: 972.245.3455
Dr. Sirisha Bhandaru
At Carrollton Smiles, Dr. B provides a wide variety of dental care services such as routine teeth cleaning and checkups for adult and pediatric patients, orthodontics including traditional braces and Invisalign, LANAP®, teeth whitening, veneers, dental implants, crowns, bridges, root canals, and many more. Dr. B takes pride in being one of the best dentists in Carrollton, providing individualized care for each patients’ varying needs.
Your comfort is my priority and all of us at Carrollton Smiles are committed to making your dental appointment a WOW experience!!
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*I was very impressed by their care and professionalism. Dr. Bhandaru truly cares about her patients and does her best to make you feel comfortable and welcomed. Going to the dentist has never been this enjoyable. I highly recommend her! Easily the best dentist in Carrollton.
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*I found Carrollton Smiles when searching for a dentist near me. Brought my 3yr old for his first dental exam and everyone made him feel so comfortable through the whole process. He even got a fun toy after he finished his appt. He can’t wait to go back! Dr. B really knows how to talk to kids.
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