Living a long, healthy life is a goal for many people. That’s why they do things like eat a healthy diet, brush and floss their teeth, see their doctor and dentist for regular check-ups, and get a good night’s sleep. But what happens if you have sleep apnea? This disorder can make getting adequate rest nearly impossible and leaving it untreated could have many dangerous consequences. Here’s why treating sleep apnea could literally help you live a longer, healthier life.
Vicious Cycles: Sleep Apnea and Comorbid Conditions
When you have sleep apnea, you may believe that the worst its doing is causing you to snore. In some cases, this may not even bother you as much as your sleep partner. But the truth is, sleep apnea can be much more dangerous than it seems. In fact, it can worsen or increase your risk of what is known as a comorbid condition, which is basically when you have two or more medical conditions that occur at once. These can often negatively affect each other, such as if you have sleep apnea and diabetes or heart disease.
Perhaps even more problematic is that not only can these conditions influence each other, but they can can often cause each other to worsen. For example, if you aren’t getting enough oxygen while you sleep due to sleep apnea, this can increase the strain on your heart by raising your blood pressure. For patients with depression, the lack of quality sleep from sleep apnea can contribute to lower energy and increased sadness and stress during the day.
Living Your Best Life: Treating Sleep Apnea
In addition to getting a more restful night’s sleep, treating sleep apnea could also help extend your life. In fact, according to a recent study by the University of Missouri School of Medicine, untreated sleep apnea accelerates the biological aging process, but treating it can slow down or even reverse this trend!
Other studies have found that if left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk of cancer, stroke, and death, and that cancer rates were a staggering three times higher and stroke rates were four times higher in those who had moderate sleep apnea versus those without.
The good news is that there are treatment options available. Custom sleep appliances can be used to help position the airway manually while you sleep, allowing you to breathe properly and get the correct amount of oxygen. These devices can be used alone or in combination with CPAP therapy to help keep the patient comfortable and eliminate many of the dangerous and frustrating side effects of sleep apnea. To learn more about whether you qualify for a custom sleep appliance, schedule a consultation with your sleep dentist today.
Remember, if left untreated, sleep apnea can rob you of more than just a good night’s rest. It can wreak havoc on your body and take years off your life. The great news is that with the help of your dentist, you can once again get the sleep you deserve, allowing you to improve the duration as well as the quality of your life.
About Our Practice
At Darby Creek Dental, our dental team is here to help you smile. Whether we’re providing you with a valuable oral health exam, treating an urgent dental emergency, or helping you get the comfortable, complete night’s sleep you deserve, we are proud to offer a variety of useful solutions that will improve your quality of life, and maybe even help extend it. If you’d like to learn more about your treatment options for sleep apnea, schedule a consultation today by visiting our website or calling 937-644-8822.