12 Feb Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Sleep- when the body and mind are at rest- is a time to rejuvenate the body and organise the mind. In normal sleep, body temperature decreases, breathing rate slows and blood pressure decreases, returning to a normal state upon waking.
Breathing needs to be constant and steady to allow proper oxygenation of the body.
When this breathing is interrupted, changes take place in the body. This interruption of breathing is called apnoea. During apnoea, there is no movement of the muscles of inhalation. Depending how block the airways are they may not be a flow of gas between the lungs and environment.
With obstructive sleep apnoea, a person stops breathing for a least 10 seconds but the body attempts to breathe. A person may wake up with a startle or jerking or increased tossing.
If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnoea can cause
Snoring is a sign of sleep apnoea and should be taken seriously. There is a need for dentists to treat sleep apnoea by helping to diagnose the problem and to refer a patient to sleep position. Dentists have the chance to save lives or improve the quality-of-life.
An intraoral appliance is a well-recognised form of treatment. This is provided by the dentist on prescription by the sleep physician.
If you snore, perhaps you should consult us for guidance to treat the problem.
DR. G KAPLAN
Tel: 083 391 2281