How Dentistry Can Help You Get a Good Night’s Sleep
As a father of nine, I will never forget the excitement of bringing home a newborn baby. I will never forget all the new experiences and milestones. Of all those experiences, my wife and I seem to have consistent memories, but when it comes to first words, we seem to remember different. While she recalls words like “ma-ma” and “da-da”, I only seem to remember the words, “You will never sleep again.”
Despite whatever external means can cause a sleepless night, there is a growing interest in the study of sleep and the treatment of sleep quality through sleep medicine. This is true across fields, including the dentistry. While treatments vary depending on causes and provider experience, much of how sleep is treated from a dental perspective continues to treat the same underlying cause: the airway.
Sleep disorders as they relate to the airway can include obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, or complex sleep apnea. In treatment, it is important to begin with a good baseline by participating in a sleep study. This will help determine if the treatment is truly effective by monitoring changes in sleep and breathing patterns.
Following the initial results, the treatment often involves improving breathing function depending on severity. A CPAP may be indicated as a means of providing steady pressure for breathing improvement. Opening the airway can also be performed using oral appliance that create a “jaw thrust” by protruding the lower jaw. In our office, laser treatment is also an alternative in which a non-invasive erbium laser is used to tighten the collagen of the palatal tissue and open the airway.
Sleep is no doubt a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. If you are struggling with sleep, consider speaking with your dental provider about potential therapies so that you can get that much needed rest.
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