Three Unexpected Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Most people immediately think “snoring” when they hear the term “sleep apnea.” And, yes; long, loud, stubborn fits of snoring are the top signs of sleep apnea. They irritate your partner, and you wake up exhausted, no matter how many hours you tossed and turned in bed. So, if snoring or any of these other problems make your life difficult, ask your healthcare provider for a sleep study. With a diagnosis of sleep apnea, your Alabaster, AL dentist at Albritton and Ardovino Family Dentistry can help by designing a customized sleep apnea mouthguard to help you breathe overnight.

1. Gasping and Choking

In addition to hard snoring, your partner might say that you make scary gasping or choking sounds, too. When sleep apnea blocks your breathing, your brain may jolt you awake just enough to move you and roll over to open it back up. When the airway opens up again, you may make shuddering gasps or choking sounds that sound truly dreadful!

2. The Bed is a Total Mess in the Morning

Your brain wants to keep you alive. So, if your airway closes, your brain will trigger you to roll over or change positions to reopen the airway. If this happens a lot, you may wake up in the morning to a twisted mess of sheets and blankets. Either that, or your partner kept pushing or telling you to roll over to get the incessant snoring to stop.

3. Morning Headaches and Dry Mouth

Thanks to your brain, you are still alive! But since your brain was working hard to keep you alive all night, you may wake up with frequent morning headaches. You might also find that you have a dry mouth because you were trying to get more air by breathing through your mouth.

Dental Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea

Some people also have oral anatomy that increases their risk for sleep apnea, and this is something your dentist in Alabaster, AL can check for. Some of these risk factors include:

• A wide neck
• A narrow palate
• Crowded teeth
• An overly large tongue
• Excessively large tonsils

Visit the Dentist Alabaster, AL Neighbors Rely on for Sleep Apnea Mouthguards

Sleep apnea isn’t just inconvenient and annoying; it’s dangerous for your health. It can even worsen your risk of other serious diseases because it prevents you from getting the sleep your body and mind need to repair damage and rejuvenate. Here at Albritton and Ardovino Family Dentistry, we can fit you with a custom sleep apnea mouthguard to keep you breathing and sleeping deeply all night long. Schedule an appointment today!