Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment in Encinitas, CA
Providing 5-Star-Rated Dental Care Since 1990
At McElroy Smiles By Design, we offer oral appliance therapy for effective snoring and sleep apnea treatment in Encinitas, CA. If you or your loved one suffers from sleep apnea but cannot tolerate a CPAP machine, this may be the solution you need!
Come experience McElroy Smiles By Design! You will see we offer effective snoring and sleep apnea treatment in Encinitas, CA, Carlsbad, CA, San Marcos, CA, Vista, CA, Oceanside, CA, Solana Beach, CA, Del Mar, CA, Rancho Santa Fe, CA, Escondido, CA and San Diego, CA.
Learn more about snoring and sleep apnea treatment below.
Why Is Snoring Dangerous?
Snoring impacts 30% of individuals in the United States, while second-hand snoring (being kept awake or having your rest disturbed by a heavy snoring partner) impacts about 73% percent of people who sleep at night with somebody who snores. Because snoring is so prevalent, we often brush it off as an unavoidable part of life.
Unfortunately, however, snoring can actually be a worrisome problem. Sleep studies have shown that snoring is harmful to your health because it limits the amount of oxygen provided to your brain and body during sleep. Imagine breathing through a drinking straw with a little bit of water in it (so it makes that slurping sound) all day. Now you can see what your brain is enduring all night as you snore.
Research also shows that bedmates of nighttime rumblers receive as little restorative sleep as the snorer. Given that snorers can produce nearly 80 decibels of sound, a bed partner’s snores are noisier than trying to get a good night’s sleep while strapped to a hand-held vacuum cleaner.
According to recent research by the Mayo Clinic and Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, people who sleep with a chronic snorer suffer from higher levels of systemic pain, fight against higher levels of fatigue, are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel, and could wind up losing some of their hearing in certain frequency ranges. One very interesting Mayo Clinic study revealed that spouses of rumbling snorers woke nearly every three minutes, nearly matching the snorer’s rate of 27 times an hour being aroused from sleep.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder that causes you to stop breathing temporarily during the night, commonly because of the way that your throat muscles relax while you’re asleep. Since this condition happens while you’re sleeping, you may not even be aware that you suffer from it. If you find that during the night you snore heavily, wake up with a choking sensation, or experience heartburn, then you may indeed be dealing with sleep apnea. Another common symptom of sleep apnea is if you wake after a full night’s sleep but still feel unrefreshed.
The sleep apnea never-ending cycle looks like this:
- You fall asleep, and your mouth relaxes.
- Your air passage collapses, causing an extended time with no oxygen.
- Without regaining consciousness, your body awakens with a gasp for air.
- Your body relaxes back into sleep, only to start the cycle again.
This cycle may repeat itself fifty or maybe more times each hour during the night. The resulting lack of oxygen can cause a myriad of health problems for you over time. People suffering from untreated sleep apnea have been injured in car accidents and other mishaps because of their chronic exhaustion. Others experience a significant decline in their health, as the chronic oxygen deprivation caused by sleep apnea has been shown to increase blood pressure and raise the chances of a heart attack.
Stop Riding The Exhausting Cycle of Broken Sleep with Sleep Apnea Treatment in Encinitas, CA
Oral Appliance Therapy Alleviates Snoring & Sleep Apnea
Oral Appliance Therapy Alleviates Snoring & Sleep ApneaA solution available to those who snore loudly or perhaps have sleep apnea in Encinitas is an oral appliance offered here in our dental office. The oral therapy appliance is similar to an athletic mouthguard. When you wear it throughout sleep, the appliance inhibits the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues at the rear of the throat. This keeps the air passage open during sleep, so your body receives enough oxygen and you sleep more soundly.
CPAP vs. Oral Appliances
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine now considers dental appliances a first-line treatment for snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea. They also recommend oral appliance therapy for patients with severe sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP or who are traveling where there is no access to power.
Dental Sleep Appliances have been scientifically proven to be very effective. Over 95% of patients are satisfied with the level of improvement with their snoring when assessed and treated correctly.
Learn More About Snoring & Sleep Apnea Treatment in Encinitas, CA. Call Our Dental Office Today!
If you or a loved one are suffering from snoring or sleep apnea, call 760-230-6638. To schedule an appointment for sleep apnea treatment in Encinitas, CA, click here. With McElroy Smiles By Design, you can easily restore yourself to a full night’s sleep!