How Sleep Apnea Can Affect Your Oral Health

Many patients are surprised to hear that a dental professional can see the early signs of sleep apnea sooner than a medical doctor. A large percentage of the ten-million people suffering from sleep apnea first learn that they have symptoms of the disorder from their dentist.

Our dentist is a highly trained sleep apnea dentist in San Francisco who has spent many years helping patients who are robbed of their sleep and oral health by the disorder. A well-trained dentist such as our dentist is able to spot even subtle signs of dental damage that comes from sleep apnea.

Here are the most common dental problems caused by sleep apnea.

• Dry Mouth- While dry mouth seems like an uncomfortable inconvenience than a serious issue, it often leads to other, more severe dental problems. Dry mouth occurs along with sleep apnea because patients with the disorder are typically mouth breathers while they are sleeping. When there is not enough saliva present in your mouth, bacteria grow and multiply, unchecked. Excessive bacteria are a cause of many dental problems including gum disease.

• Teeth Grinding- Formally known as bruxism, repeated grinding of your teeth while you are asleep is symptomatic of sleep apnea and can wreak havoc on your oral health. Sleep apnea patients often experience bruxism because it is the brain’s way of attempting to wake the patient so that they breathe normally. We see patients with sleep apnea experience cracked teeth, tooth enamel that is worn away, waking up with headaches, stiff necks, and jaw pain because of bruxism.

• Temporomandibular Joint Disorder- This painful ailment is often a result of ongoing sleep apnea. The joint experiences excessive wear because of the long-term teeth grinding associated with sleep apnea. After exposure to extreme pressure from bruxism over a period of time, a patient’s temporomandibular joint suffers from inflammation and dislocation. The pain is severe and successful treatment takes time.

If you believe that you experience sleep apnea, talk with our dentist for helpful suggestions along with a thorough examination.

How Dental Sedation Can Help Patients

We know some of our patients have an intense fear of dentists, some have near phobic reactions and try to avoid the dentist entirely. Unfortunately, skipping regular dental visits puts oral health at risk.

Our Huntington Beach dentist wants all of our patients to have good dental experiences. Several positive encounters can ease your fears; this is why we offer optional dental sedation. This is a safe way to help make our patients’ visit as pleasant as possible. Our staff will gladly help you to understand dental sedation and answer any questions.

We use two types of sedation in our office; these are inhaled sedation and conscious sedation.

INHALED SEDATION-
Typically called nitrous oxide or laughing gas, this is the gentlest and least disruptive kind of dental sedation available. Our dentist dispenses the colorless and odorless gas via a small mask that covers your nose. Your dentist will regulate how much gas you get as well and your level of sedation.
Benefits of an inhaled sedation treatment include:
• Quick results
• Easy to adjust
• No unpleasant effects

CONSCIOUS SEDATION-
Another kind of sedation we offer is called conscious sedation. You are very relaxed and may doze during your dental visit. It is common for patients to have no recollection of your procedure. Oral anti-anxiety medications help you to become calm and relaxed before your treatment.

These medications will take an hour or so before you feel their effects. Often, we will give you a prescription for the drug, and instruct you to take one tablet before coming to our office. Please remember that driving after taking any sedative is dangerous and you should have someone drive you to and from your appointment.

Some benefits of conscious sedation are:
• No side effects
• Physically and psychologically relaxing
• Relieves pain

If you are someone who has an overwhelming sense of anxiety or fear when thinking about dental appointments, please contact our office so that our staff can help you plan your dental sedation and help ease your concerns.