- Studies show that Americans are constantly tired, affecting all facets of life including work, marriage, leisure and romance.
- Motor Vehicle Accidents are often caused by fatigue from obstructive sleep apnea. If you have Sleep Apnea, you have three times greater chance to get into an accident because you're tired all the time.
- Sleep Apnea, when untreated, can lower your life expectancy by as much as 7 years and plays a role in many systemic diseases that people typically don't associate with sleep disorders. Those diseases include heart problems, diabetes, alzheimers, aging and even impotence.
Is this how you want to
sleep every night?
The CPAP machine is the medical solution to delivering oxygen to your lungs and the rest of your body. During sleep, the tongue relaxes and falls backward and upward. This position blocks the airway and before long, the body realizes its lack of oxygen and wakes you up. Air pressure from CPAP pushes the tongue forward the opens your airway. This method is very successful if you can tolerate it. Unfortunately, approximately over 75% of the people with obstructive sleep apnea who is using the CPAP cannot tolerate the machine. When a CPAP cannot be used, the sleep dentist can provide a dental sleep appliance in its place.
What is the role of the Sleep Dentist in treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea, CPAP intolerance, Snoring, the other sleep problems?
As we age from about 30-40 years old, our muscles start to lose muscle tone. This is no exception with the tongue as it's also a muscle. With lost of muscle tone, the tongue falls backward and upward and partially or completely blocks the airway during sleep. Partial blocking causes snoring and complete blocking causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
The need for Sleep Dentists is becoming apparant and more dentists are fulfulling this role beside their regular services of general dentistry. The SLEEP DENTIST OF LOS ANGELES, DOWNTOWN is located at 350 S. Figueroa St. Suite 551, Los Angeles, CA 90071.
To find other dentists in any city across the US, email findsleepdentists@bettersleepdentist.com
BetterSleepDentist.com
Sleep Disorder Dentist Dr. James C. Feng
BetterSleepDentist.com 2009. Text and info based on information obtained from Dental Continuing Education Courses on Sleep Apnea and Sleep Dentistry organized by Space Maintainers Dental Labortory and the lectures of Dr. Keropian DDS, in Las Vegas, NV, USA. March 2009.
SLEEP APNEA WEBSITES
Here is a list of sites where you can learn everything about Obstructive Sleep Apnea, its consequences, and solutions.
Please keep in mind that most medical doctors are unaware of the dentist's role in Obstructive Sleep Apnea. It's up to you and I to educate the medical community that you have more options than the CPAP machine when it comes to treating and managing obstructive sleep apnea. After reading this website, you have more knowledge on this topic of Sleep Disorder Dentistry than most medical doctors!
