What is Sleep Apnea?

Although several of our Goldsboro patients suffer from sleep apnea, many don’t fully understand the condition. Sleep apnea is a common disorder which causes repeated pauses in breathing while you sleep. The length of these pauses can range from a few seconds to entire minutes.

Unfortunately, the disorder often goes undiagnosed because it mostly only occurs during sleep, and bed partners notice its signs before a doctor or general dentist.

The most common form of the condition is obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway collapses or becomes blocked during slumber. This type of sleep apnea results in shallow, disrupted breathing and moves your body out of its much needed deep sleep.

Central Sleep apnea is less common, and is characterized by the lack of signals from the brain that control your breathing muscles.

The symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Loud, chronic snoring
• Lapses in breath while sleeping
• Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath
• Morning Headache
• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Excessive daytime sleepiness

Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase the risk of:

• Heart failure
• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Heart attack
• High blood pressure
• Having an accident while driving or at work

If you live in Goldsboro and believe you may suffer from sleep apnea, the experienced dentists of Boles, Ham, Dixon & Boles can provide effective treatment with oral appliances and other treatments. Contact us today online or at 252-291-2892 to schedule an appointment. We welcome patients from Wilson, Greenville and Rocky Mount North Carolina.