If you find that you are frequently waking up the night for reasons you can’t fathom, or even that you are unaccountable tired during the day even though it feels like you have slept all through the night, it is possible that you have some form of apnea. Because one type of apnea is caused by muscles at the rear of the mouth, your dentist can help in the diagnosis of this inconvenient condition.
Of the two types of apnea, central apnea is a great deal more serious than sleep apnea but they are both worth being vigilant against. Sleep apnea is caused by the muscles at the back of the mouth relaxing too much when the patient is asleep. The restricted flow of oxygen to the lungs causes the body to wake up as a reflex action. Sufferers might find it difficult to stay awake during the day and are more prone to traffic accidents. It can usually be solved by changing habits such as smoking and drinking or by wearing an oral device nocturnally that ensure oxygen flow.
In cases of central apnea the cause is usually related to other general health issues such as obesity or heart disease. The restricted flow of oxygen is not a result, in these cases of the muscles in the mouth, but through a deficiency in the central nervous system. Heart attacks and strokes are a risk in both types of apnea.
By diagnosing sleep apnea rather than central apnea your City of Leeds dentist can help determine which one it is that you are suffering from. In sum, it is worth keeping your dentist up to date with these kinds of thing so that if you are having trouble sleeping and keep waking up, the cause can be diagnosed properly.
Tags: central apnea
