Happy & Healthy
Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea Alexandria VA
Sleep Apnea
in Alexandria, VA
Sleep apnea happens when your mouth and pharynx muscles become too relaxed while sleeping. When these muscles become too relaxed, your tongue then begins to prevent the mandatory amount of air from reaching your lungs. If you are suffering from sleep apnea you will wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air.
The inability to maintain even and consistent breathing during your sleep is commonly caused by obstructive sleep apnea. This type of apnea occurs when your airway found at the back of your throat becomes blocked. As a result, you develop loud snoring, a shortness of breath, or will experience chronic feelings of lethargy or restlessness, because you are just not able to relax and sleep as deeply as your body needs you to.
The entire team at INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA shares an office goal. With over three decades of experience, we pride ourselves in being old school when it comes to respecting you and your family and giving you the treatment that we would wish to receive ourselves. Every single patient receives the quality care they deserve. This is the way to earn your trust and satisfaction. Our team is focused on our collaborative efforts to promote oral health by practicing prevention, wellness, enhancement, and renewing rejuvenation. Visit us at 4660 Kenmore Ave., #320, Alexandria, VA 22304 or give us a call today at 703-751-7600 to schedule your appointment to see if you might benefit from an evaluation for sleep apnea.
Before defining the possible treatments for sleep apnea, it is first necessary to understand what it is. The technical name for this disorder is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and it is a condition when you do not breathe properly and consistently while sleeping. Recent research showed that one out of three severe snorers were found to have a chronic level of sleep apnea.
Through the night while sleeping, sufferers of sleep apnea will experience what are called apneas, the temporary inability to breathe, that sometimes last up to 40 seconds. This will cause your brain to wake you up just enough so that you move and resume breathing. Most people who suffer from sleep apnea do not even know they have it until they are observed by someone else.
Some Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
There are several common signs related to sleep apnea, but the most common are:
- Waking up multiple times throughout the night.
- Extremely loud snoring while sleeping.
- You wake with chronic morning headaches.
- You wake up gasping for air.
- You have an extremely dry mouth when waking.
- You experience chronic fatigue day after day.
- You feel memory loss or brain fog.
- Falling asleep during the day or never quite being able to awake.
- You suffer from depression, mood swings, and other mood disorders.
Some Health Dangers Associated with Sleep Apnea
You might assume sleep apnea is nothing more than an annoyance with no real health consequences, but this could not be further from the truth. Leaving your sleep apnea untreated will increase the risk for many serious issues, including:
- Chronic Headaches
- Fatigue
- Heart Disease
- Lingering Depression
- High Blood Pressure
- Memory Loss
- Increased Obesity
- A Damaging Stroke
- Diminished Sex Drive
Given the severity of some of these health issues, it is essential that you do not ignore symptoms related to sleep apnea and schedule an appointment with INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA to discuss possible treatment options.
RESTORATIVE
DENTISTRY
Even with the best of diligence to maintain your oral health things don’t go as planned. Once in a while, and you might find that your teeth need to be restored or replaced. Missing, cracked, damaged, or even decayed teeth will dull your smile. Did you know it can also affect your oral health? At Inspire Dental of Alexandria we offer restorative dentistry to ensure that your teeth and oral health are back to their former state.
COMSETIC
DENTISTRY
It is important to feel confident in your smile, because being confident in your smile means being confident in yourself. Despite this, many people walk around every day, resigned to the fact that their smile is what it is and there is really nothing they can do to change it. But what if that was not the case? What if improving the aesthetic appearance and/or functionality of your smile was easier than you thought?
IMPLANT
DENTISTRY
Almost 50 million Americans experience tooth-loss every year. Dental bridges have traditionally been the best option if you are in this situation. However, there have been continual technological advancements regarding different types of dental implants. Dental implants are becoming both a common and popular procedure to restore a missing tooth or teeth.
Treatment Options for Your Sleep Apnea
There are several treatment options available for addressing sleep apnea, some of which are designed to lessen your symptoms, while others are designed to eliminate the primary root cause.
- Change in Lifestyle Habits: Although this is usually the least popular option, the truth is that your overall health and your daily habits are the leading causes in the development of and the curing of your sleep apnea. If you would prefer to avoid dental appliance interventions or even surgery, then being more mindful of your diet, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and exercising frequently will not only dramatically do wonders to improve your sleep apnea, but will also dramatically improve your overall health and your well-being.
- CPAP Machine: The most common intervention for sleep apnea is a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine) machine, which is essentially a mask that fits over your mouth and nose at night that keeps your airways open while you sleep. The CPAP machine is an effective intervention in improving sleep apnea, however many patients find wearing it to be an uncomfortable solution.
- Oral Appliances: If you prefer avoiding the use of a CPAP machine, there are also several oral appliances that are far less cumbersome. If you are interested in learning more about these options and seeing if having one custom made for you is your best option, INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA can discuss this alternative with you.
- Surgery: It is best to try and avoid unnecessary surgery, but there are surgical procedures that are effective in widening your breathing passageways. We will strongly encourage making lifestyle changes before surgery, but if you would like to learn more about this option, we will be happy to have this conversation.
WHAT OUR DENTAL PATIENTS SAY
Oral Appliance Therapy
At INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA, we can offer oral appliance therapy to help treat your sleep apnea. Oral appliances are a treatment that we design that are adjustable appliances worn in your mouth during sleep. The custom-made oral appliance maintains your lower jaw in a forward position. When these appliances are used properly, sleep apnea can be reduced or even eliminated.
Compared to other types of sleep apnea treatment, oral appliances can have the following advantages:
- Comfortable to wear.
- Quiet, no machine noise.
- Easy to put on and wear.
- Portable, use anywhere.
- Easy to take care of.
You may find that an oral appliance can be an effective alternative to CPAP pressure therapy.
Our Mission Statement is to Open Doors with a Smile
At INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA, our mission statement is quite simple. We approach every patient with attentive, gentle grace and patience. We understand the concept that we each are unique, and we all have our personal therapy plans. No matter the age, we will treat each patient only as we wish to be treated. By integrating cutting-edge technology with solid tradition, we attempt every day to exceed your expectations. Visit us at 4660 Kenmore Ave., #320, Alexandria, VA 22304 or give us a call today at 703-751-7600 to schedule your appointment for an evaluation to see if you might benefit from a sleep apnea evaluation. High quality, comfortable, relaxing environment, and plenty of smiles is what you will encounter at INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA.