Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is when your breathing stops and starts repeatedly while you sleep. The soft parts in your throat relax too much and block your airway, like a kink in a garden hose stopping water flow. This is dangerous because your brain and body need steady oxygen to work properly.
Pay attention to these warning signs if you think you might have it:
- Loud snoring that bothers others
- Waking up tired even after a full night’s sleep
- Someone noticing you stop breathing while asleep
If this sounds like you, it’s important to see a doctor. Sleep apnea can cause serious health problems and even damage your teeth and gums over time.
How Does OSA Affect the Body?
One of the most immediate dangers of OSA is that it can severely impact your ability to get a good night’s rest. When your breathing is interrupted during sleep, your body stops getting enough oxygen, and cause you to wake up gasping for air more often. This can lead to chronic fatigue, make it hard to concentrate, and other symptoms of sleep deprivation.
However, the dangers of OSA go far beyond poor sleep quality. Over time, repeatedly going without oxygen can cause serious health problems. Some of these issues include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes.
Because OSA interrupts your sleep, you can increase your risk of having a car accident or workplace injury. This is because lack of proper sleep can have negative effects on your cognitive abilities and motor skills.
What are the Effects on Oral Health?
One of the most common side effects of OSA is bruxism, or teeth grinding. People with OSA sometimes grind their teeth during sleep in an attempt to open their airway and increase oxygen flow. This can cause significant damage to your teeth and jaw. Tooth fractures, loosened teeth, and TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are common effects.
OSA can also increase your risk of developing periodontal disease, a serious infection of the gums. This is because oxygen deprivation can cause inflammation throughout the body, including in the gums. This inflammation can damage the tissues that support the teeth, and cause serious complications.
Another dental issue OSA can cause is dry mouth. When a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep, they may breathe through their mouth instead of their nose. A decrease in saliva can cause a range of dental problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath.
Treatment Options
If you suffer from OSA, get treatment as soon as possible. Lifestyle changes like weight loss and exercise may be enough to alleviate OSA symptoms in some cases. In more severe cases, a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine may be necessary to keep your airway open during sleep. Common treatment options include:
- CPAP Therapy: A machine that delivers steady air pressure through a mask to keep your airway open while you sleep. A CPAP machine is best for moderate to severe OSA.
- Oral Appliance Therapy: A custom-fit mouthguard that repositions the jaw or tongue to prevent airway blockage. Oral appliances are best for mild to moderate OSA or people who can’t tolerate CPAP.
- Lifestyle Changes: Weight loss, avoiding alcohol/sedatives, and sleeping on your side instead of your back. It’s a good start if you have mild OSA or as a supplement to other treatments.
- Surgery (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty – UPPP): Removal of excess throat tissue (tonsils, uvula, or part of the soft palate) to widen the airway. Surgery is used for severe OSA cases when other treatments fail.
- Inspire Therapy (Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator): An implanted device that stimulates throat muscles to keep the airway open during sleep. This is best for moderate to severe OSA in patients who can’t use CPAP.
- Positional Therapy: Special pillows or wearable devices that prevent sleeping on your back. This is for patients with position-dependent OSA that worsens when sleeping on the back.
- Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP): Similar to CPAP but adjusts air pressure when you inhale/exhale for easier breathing. Patients who need higher pressure support usually get BiPAP therapy.
- EXPAREL (Palatal Implants): Small implants stiffen the soft palate to reduce snoring and mild OSA. This is best for patients with mild OSA and excessive snoring.
- Nasal Expiratory Devices (e.g., Provent, Bongo RX): Disposable nasal valves that create backpressure to keep airways open. This is best for patients with mild OSA, or occasional use.
- Tracheostomy (Rare & Last Resort): This is a surgical opening in the windpipe to bypass throat obstructions completely. It’s a rare and a “last resort” treatment for extreme and life-threatening OSA cases.
If you suffer from bruxism, contact Dr. Sara Chen at Aesthetic Dentistry Centre in Plano, TX. We may recommend a mouthguard or oral appliance therapy to protect your teeth from damage.