Bethesda Center for Dental Sleep Medicine & TMJ Therapy Blog

Getting enough good quality sleep is essential to your health. Unfortunately, having constructive sleep apnea can greatly impact your ability to do this. This medical condition is when a partial or complete blockage of the upper airway causes breathing interruptions while sleeping. It is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea and that 80% of people are not even aware they have it. Even worse, it can cause many health issues, even with your brain. Read on to learn more about the connection between sleep apnea and brain health…and how your dentist can help!

Does your partner suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)? It’s a common disorder that causes breathing to stop repeatedly throughout the night. One of the hallmark symptoms is chronic snoring, which can keep you from getting much-needed sleep as well. Fortunately, continuous airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is a minimally invasive and effective treatment for the disorder. If your partner uses or could benefit from CPAP therapy, there are gift ideas that would be a perfect addition to their life. Read on to learn from a sleep apnea dentist how you both can get a good night’s sleep on Valentine’s Day and beyond!

You’ve probably seen many of your favorite celebrities talking about their struggles with sleep apnea, like Rosie O’Donnell, William Shatner, and Reggie White. While it might seem like cases of sleep apnea are on the rise, the growing number of diagnoses is attributed to better public awareness. Celebrities are sharing their stories to encourage people with symptoms of sleep apnea to seek help from a medical professional because 80% of cases aren’t diagnosed. A bad night’s rest isn’t the only complication of sleep apnea. You could face potentially life-threatening health risks. Here’s what you need to know about the dangers of untreated sleep apnea.

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If you’ve recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea, your physician discussed the risks of not treating the condition, like heart disease, sleep deprivation, and depression; however, those aren’t the only dangers. According to a study published by the Sleep Research Society, sleep apnea can increase your risk of gum disease, which is linked to tooth loss and several health concerns. Although sleep apnea and gum disease are two very different conditions, here’s what you need to know about their connection to keep your mouth and body healthy.

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Depression is a distressingly common mental disorder that affects around one in every 20 adults around the world. The condition has many possible risk factors, and studies suggest that one potentially major contributor is sleep apnea. How can a sleep disorder be related to depression? And what can you do to address both problems? Here’s what you need to know.

Every night, millions of people miss out on countless hours of sleep because of sleep apnea; and sadly, many more cases go completely undiagnosed! But your sleep isn’t all that’s at stake if you’re dealing with this condition, and you’re at an increased risk for numerous other health issues if things are left to progress. But did you know that among the various factors that contribute to sleep apnea, some of them are linked with your genes? Here’s more from your sleep dentist about this connection along with some ways that you can lower your risk.

Sleep deprivation can be caused by a number of things, from something temporary like stress at work all the way to a chronic condition like sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea are missing out on crucial rest every night due to an obstruction in the airway that causes the sufferer to repeatedly wake to resume breathing. 

If you have sleep apnea, the condition that causes you to wake up without even realizing it multiple times in the night due to an obstruction in the airway, there are a few things you need to be aware of. First: seeking treatment is crucial for regaining your restful night’s sleep. Second: there are things you may be doing to make sleep apnea worse – like drinking alcohol. Keep reading to learn about the connection between alcohol and sleep apnea and steps you can take to get a better night of sleep! 

Lately, your jaw has been hurting nonstop, and you’re beginning to think it might be caused by a TMJ disorder. Who do you call for help? Your first thought may be to get in touch with your regular physician, but in many cases, calling your dentist may be your best choice. While dentists are mainly known for working on teeth, they’re also in a unique position to diagnose and even treat TMJ disorders; the following post explores the kind of help they can offer for patients with chronic jaw pain.