Do you snore? Do you wake up tired? Is your mouth dry and your throat sore? Do you have difficulty staying awake through the day? These are signs you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
To have this checked out, the best place to start is with your dentist. The dentist will perform an airway exam and check your tongue posture. As early as the 1940’s, many studies pointed to the importance of the position of the tongue in maintaining the airway. If the dentist suspects you have issues with tongue positioning, the next step is scheduling a sleep study, either through the dentist or your medical doctor.
Do not ignore the signs of OSA. If you have obstructive sleep apnea and do not have it treated, you are not getting enough oxygen into your body when you are sleeping.
Unchecked obstructive sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart rhythm irregularities, heart failure, chronic fatigue, and an increased risk of type II diabetes.
Have you already been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea but do not like wearing your CPAP mask?
Do you travel frequently and would like an alternative to packing your CPAP machine when you fly?
Come talk to Dr. Lau about an oral dilator appliance that you wear in your mouth to keep your airway open instead of sleeping with the CPAP machine.
Dr. Lau has studied the relationship between tongue posture and occlusion (or your bite, the way the teeth close together) and how both are also related to TM Joint (jaw) problems. All three of these problems revolve around each other. Treatment of any of these three problems – OSA, bad bite (or malocclusion) or TMJ pain – must take into consideration the dynamics of this entire system, or treatment results will be compromised and create more pain and problems.
Call today to discuss a better night’s sleep.
