Regular exercise and a healthy diet are essential in keeping an excellent health condition. Believe it or not, despite these practices it is still possible for a patient to suffer from complications due to poor sleep quality. It may seem to a person that they have been sleeping for hours, but the truth is, some interruptions affect the value of their rest. Do know that getting enough rest should be in quality and not just in quantity.One of the factors that can cause a person not to get enough rest is sleep apnea. It is a disorder that causes a patient to stop breathing repeatedly while asleep. Its occurrence causes the brain and the whole body not to get the oxygen it needs. There are two types of sleep apnea: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Central Sleep Apnea (CSA). The former occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat relax and block the airways, while the latter is due to the brain’s failure of sending the proper signal to the muscles that control breathing.

At Hoffman Smiles, we understand the graveness of untreated sleep apnea, and we want our patients to be aware of its threat. It is for them to know that they need to act and have it treated to prevent the rise of possible complications that affect the overall health. We prepared a list of the dangers of leaving the most common type of apnea which is OSA untreated.

• Experiencing episodes of sleep apnea at night will cause the patient to feel groggy when driving to work or back home. It increases their risk of being in an accident on the road. Those with the condition are five times more accident prone than those who sleep normally.
• It can worsen a patient’s high blood pressure. The body gets stressed due to repeated awakenings at night; as a result, the hormone becomes active, and blood pressure increases. Decreased oxygen levels on the blood can also add up on the problem.
• Low levels of oxygen in the blood and stress due to frequent awakenings at night increase the patient’s risk of heart attack and stroke.
• People who are obese are more likely to experience sleep apnea, and the condition makes it harder for them to get back in shape. Being overweight means that there are excess fat deposits on the neck that can contribute to the blockage of the airways. Ghrelin, a hormone that makes people crave for carbs and sweets are released. Without control, it may cause a patient to gain more weight.

The good news is, there are possible cures for the condition and us at Hoffman Smiles got it covered! We offer oral appliances such as TAP® 3 (Thornton Adjustable Positioner), OASYS Appliance, KlearwayTM Appliance, and Herbst Telescopic Appliance. To know the best choice to treat sleep apnea, schedule a consultation with our dental professional for proper diagnosis!Suffering from sleep apnea? Contact us at Hoffman Smiles for your Sleep Apnea Treatment in Hoffman Estates, IL! Our passionate team is always ready to serve you.