“Dad, you’re sleeping too loud!”
A little girl comes out of her room still drowsy and tells her father that he snores loudly. “I can’t sleep because of you!” she should. While it may be funny, this situation hides a genuine problem that can have real consequences: snoring associated with sleep apnea, also known as OSA (obstructive sleep apnea).
At the Centre Dentaire & D’Implantologie Boucherville on the South Shore near Longueuil, our experts will determine whether a periodontal, articular or dental condition is likely to cause snoring. Wearing a device while sleeping could be recommended to reduce or even eliminate the snoring and thus possible sleep apnea. If this is the case, our orthodontist will design, manufacture and adjust this extremely effective device for you.
I sleep so I can rest… but what if I snore?
Making noise is definitely not the most effective way to stop your spouse’s snoring. Momentarily waking them up to temporarily stop the noise will not solve the problem in any way. You’ll go back to sleep and your partner will continue making a ruckus… and you’ll continue to have a very bad night. At the end of the day, we all want a good night’s sleep to recover from fatigue.
Although, night-time snorers are often the butt of jokes, the subject is serious. These disorders can hide a disease with sometimes serious consequences, such as obstructive sleep apnea. People with this condition are tired during the day, are often sleepy and have attention problems. Their nights are not restful enough and their days do not go well. Sure, falling asleep in your armchair is harmless, but falling asleep at the wheel of your car is a different story.
It’s important to know that snoring particularly affects men up to the age of 60: in fact, they are two to four times more susceptible. That said, some women are nocturnal snorers with obstructive sleep apnea. This disease is far from trivial. The symptoms are numerous and, once again, can have heavy consequences: intense fatigue during the day, often accompanied by drowsiness, headaches, trouble concentrating, irritability, etc.
What happens when someone has obstructive sleep apnea?
Apnea: a momentary cessation of breathing.
Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by narrowing of the upper airway: air no longer flows normally, hence the snoring. This breathing disorder occurs during sleep when our body relaxes. It manifests itself through a pause in breathing lasting ten to thirty consecutive seconds, and this, up to ten times per hour. This inability to breathe is systematically accompanied by micro-awakenings. The intensity of the fatigue will depend on the frequency of awakenings throughout the night.
The factors that cause this narrowing are numerous: enlarged tonsils, a soft and long palate, fat in the throat (in people who are overweight) or a jaw that is positioned too far back. Consulting specialists will, first of all, make the right diagnosis, and then implement the most suitable solution for your condition.
From a simple annoyance with no other consequences than a spouse’s, to a notable deterioration in the daily life of both the snorer and their partner, night-time snoring could alert us to the possible presence of associated obstructive sleep apnea. Today, effective treatments and solutions exist, and our specialists will be able to advise you and implement these remedies if necessary.
Are you often tired? Do you sleep badly? Do you often doze off even when you go to bed early? Does your snoring bother your spouse? An appointment at the Centre Dentaire & D’Implantologie Boucherville with our experts will be an opportunity to talk in confidence about your snoring and its consequences on your health and daily life. Thanks to our professionals who are always there to help, you’ll not only have a peaceful night’s sleep, but also a healthy day.