I used to be under the impression that sleep apnea only affected overweight and older individuals, and that the only harm it caused was difficulty sleeping for the affected persons partner. However, after reading about the research delving into the harm of improper sleep, I decided to learn more about this condition and discovered how wrong I was about sleep apnea. It is proven to be a cause of heart disease and stroke.
Sleep apnea affects all ages; children, men and women of any size or weight. The shape and condition of the mouth and throat is the major contributor of sleep apnea. A person who grinds their teeth and has GERD (reflux) is more than likely to be diagnosed with sleep apnea. Some sleep researchers are postulating that ADHD in children is cause by sleep apnea.
The gold standard treatment for sleep apnea is a CPAP. However, not everyone can tolerate a CPAP. Our office has been making FDA approved appliances for CPAP intolerant patients for awhile. In fact, I wear one for apnea. If you are concerned that you or someone you know has apnea, our office would be happy to assist you in getting a sleep study to diagnose this problem. If you are CPAP intolerant, we would be happy to assist you in getting fitted for an oral appliance. Please call for more information.
