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Have you ever been told that you snore so loudly that you wake up the whole neighborhood? Have you ever been in the middle of a meeting at work and felt so tired you could doze off then and there? Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is most common amongst people who are overweight, and/or middle-aged (and older). The Corona dentists at Dental Associates of Corona, will talk more about obstructive sleep apnea basics.

What is OSA?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts throughout your sleep cycle as a result of obstruction from the position of soft tissues. There are other types of sleep apnea, all of which are potentially dangerous, but OSA is the most common. As your throat muscles intermittently relax they can block your airway while you sleep and you will actually stop breathing for several seconds. Next, your body will rouse you awake (sometimes in a feeling of breathless panic) interrupting your sleep as many as hundreds of times each and every night.

Signs of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include loud and persistent snoring, daytime sleepiness, shortness of breath, headaches in the morning, insomnia, high blood pressure, dry mouth, and sore throats. If you share a bed with someone, they may observe that you actually stop breathing throughout the night. Snoring tends to remain the most common sign of obstructive sleep apnea. If you snore loudly enough that you disturb other’s ability to sleep, or you wake your own self up from the loud vibration noises of snoring, you should consult a physician or your dentist. Many people mistakenly assume that snoring is an innocuous condition, but if it is due to OSA, you will not be getting the quality and quantity of sleep that you need to function at full capacity.

Sleep Apnea Help from Corona Dentists

If you are experiencing sleep issues that you think could revolve around OSA, or you simply would like to schedule a dental checkup with your Corona dentists, contact our 92879 dentist office today by calling (951) 273-9580. We offer preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry to ensure optimum oral health, and we welcome patients from Corona and surrounding communities.