March 2nd, 2010 amogell
Researchers at Yale University found that patients suffering from untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) more than doubled their risk of stroke or heart attack in patients over 50 years old. The effects of obstructive sleep apnea on the human cardiovascular system has been well documented.
The important thing that researchers discussed was that sleep apnea is what is called a “modifiable risk factor”. This means that if the OSA is treated effectively, the risk of heart attack or stroke for those patients goes down dramatically. In the American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine an article by Minoguchi et al, showed that patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea have certain “markers” in their brains which indicate damage and inflammation. In this study, OSA patients who used their CPAP for three months significantly lowered the level of those inflammatory “markers”. While this shows that CPAP treatment works, many, many patients are unable to tolerate using the CPAP machine.
Patients complain about the noise, feeling claustrophobic, masks not fitting properly and just plain hating the machine. There is a viable alternative for mild to moderate sleep apnea. Oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea is an approved therapy and most patients find sleeping with an oral appliance very comfortable. Some patients who have been using a CPAP for many years have found that an oral appliance makes traveling much easier. Contact Dr. Levy at our Gahanna office at 614-454-3488. We will be pleased to set up a consultation so you can learn more about oral appliance therapy for treating sleep apnea in the Columbus, Ohio area.
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February 15th, 2010 amogell
Grinding Your Teeth and Sleep Apnea
COLUMBUS, OH – Research presented at a recent scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) found that nearly 1 in 4 patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) also suffer from bruxism, or nighttime teeth grinding. About 8 percent of the US population experiences bruxism, commonly known as teeth grinding, which is associated with TMJ problems, a bad bite or stress.
According to Dr. Shyam Subramanian of Baylor “High levels of anxiety can lead to bruxism, and untreated sleep apnea is known to cause mood disturbances including depression and anxiety. Daytime sleepiness from sleep apnea may cause a person to ingest caffeine, and this has also been associated with a high risk of bruxism.”
Left untreated, teeth grinding causes extreme tooth wear and decay. Gum tissue may be damaged and common complaints include jaw pain, headaches and neck pain – continued teeth grinding may also lead to temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
“Bruxism can be both a daytime syndrome as well as a nighttime syndrome, but it is bruxism during sleep, including short naps, that causes the majority of health issues” said Dr. Subramanian. Fortunately, oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea is highly effective for treating both OSA and solving the problem of nighttime teeth grinding.
“Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can lead to many secondary health conditions,” said Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, President of the ACCP. “When treating sleep apnea, clinicians must also recognize and address secondary health conditions, such as bruxism, in order to fully manage a patient’s sleep disorder.” As an experienced neuromuscular and dental sleep medicine practitioner, Dr. Mark Levy is uniquely qualified to meet this need.
If you feel you are grinding your teeth during sleep and have a snoring problem or if you have been diagnosed with OSA contact our office to find out more about oral appliance therapy. Patients in the Columbus, Ohio area call 614-454-3488 or click to arrange a consultation to discuss oral appliance therapy with Dr. Mark Levy.
Posted in Sleep Apnea, Teeth Grinding | 1 Comment »
November 2nd, 2009 Dr. Levy
Is Your Snoring Dangerous To Your Health?
Columbus, OH – So many patients in my practice ask about their snoring and whether it is dangerous. The answer is, quite possibly, very dangerous. While some snoring is simply annoying-keeping spouses and family awake, if your snoring is really sleep apnea then you are truly playing with fire. Sleep Apnea is a disorder that causes people to stop breathing for long periods of time causing spikes in blood pressure and is a factor in stroke and sudden death. It is an extremely dangerous disease if left untreated. Watch the video below and count how long this guy takes between breaths.
This man is at serious risk for major health issues. His blood oxygen level is dipping very low. Do you know that you would need to hold your breath for three to four minutes to get your blood oxygen levels anywhere near the level of a person with sleep apnea. It is impossible to do. In my next posting I will discuss the rise in sleep apnea and its relation to the growing epidemic of obesity in America.
Mark Levy DDS
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