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Sleep Apnoea

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is often linked with snoring, but it carries significant health risks beyond just noise during sleep. This disorder involves the narrowing of the upper airways, leading to disrupted breathing, brain microarousals, and reduced oxygen levels in the body. If you experience unrefreshing sleep, daytime fatigue, mood swings, and other related symptoms along with snoring, it is advisable to seek professional evaluation.

OSA can drastically reduce life quality and increase the risk of:

  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Stroke
  • Type-2 Diabetes
  • Neurocognitive disorders, including a higher risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Increased likelihood of road and workplace accidents

These risks are due to the ongoing stress and inflammation caused by repeated sleep interruptions and oxygen deprivation.

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Why Dr. Aditi Desai Stands Out

Comprehensive Care

Comprehensive Care

Dr. Aditi Desai specializes in comprehensive care for sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, snoring, sleep bruxism (SB), and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD).

Improving Sleep Quality

Improving Sleep Quality

Dr. Aditi aims to improve her patients’ sleep quality, aiding in overcoming daytime issues like fatigue and reduced productivity caused by sleep disorders.

Personalized Treatment Plans

Personalized Treatment

Each patient gets a personalized treatment plan for their specific sleep issues, ensuring effective interventions for improved sleep outcomes.

Long-Term Support

Long-Term Support

Patients receive ongoing support and follow-up care from Dr. Aditi Desai for sustained improvements in sleep quality and oral health.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnoea

The most common symptom of OSA is loud snoring and daytime fatigue. Breathing pauses that occur after falling asleep, may lead to an experience of choking, gasping or a feeling of drowning. Waking up hearing a loud snort or gasping sound is not uncommon.

Consequences of this are:

  • Witnessed breathing pauses during sleep by bed partner
  • Morning headaches
  • Sore throat or dry mouth upon awakening
  • Restless sleep
  • High blood pressure
  • Frequent nocturia
  • Waking with heart racing
  • In children, poor attention span, behavioral issues or poor performance in school
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Difficulty concentrating
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)?

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is a highly prevalent sleep disorder with significant comorbidities associated with it. During sleep, the walls of the upper airway collapse and disrupt normal breathing pattern. This can lead to brain microarousals and lack of oxygenation in the body systems. Not all snorers have OSA, but mostly all apnoeics are snorers. If your snoring highlights any of the following symptoms, it may be an indication that you should seek further evaluation from a professional.

OSA can have a profound effect on one’s quality of life; interrupted sleep on an ongoing basis, can lead to increased fatigue on waking and throughout the day. this increases the risk of developing other medical conditions through an inflammatory process.

What should I do if I have symptoms of sleep apnoea?

If you are experiencing symptoms of sleep apnoea, it’s important to seek professional evaluation. Please fill out our consultation form on our website to schedule an appointment with our specialist who can provide a comprehensive assessment and discuss suitable treatment options.

What causes sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is primarily caused by a physical blockage of the airway, often when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. Factors that can contribute to the risk of this blockage include:

  • Excess weight, which can put pressure on the airway.
  • Anatomical differences such as a narrow throat, enlarged tonsils, or adenoids.
  • Use of alcohol or sedatives, which relax the muscles in the throat.
  • Smoking, which can increase inflammation and fluid retention in the throat.
  • Age, as sleep apnea is more common in older adults.
  • Family history and genetics, indicating a possible inherited risk.

How can I prevent sleep apnoea?

Preventing sleep apnoea involves adopting several lifestyle changes:

  • Maintain a healthy weight, as obesity can increase the risk.
  • Reduce alcohol consumption, especially before bedtime.
  • Quit smoking, as it can increase inflammation and fluid retention in the airway.
  • Treat nasal congestion or allergies that might block airways.
  • Adopt a sleep position that helps maintain open airways, such as sleeping on your side.
  • Ensure regular physical activity to improve overall health and reduce risk factors.

Implementing these strategies can help lower the risk of developing sleep apnoea or alleviate the symptoms if you already have the condition.

Dentists and Sleep Disorders

Dentists are pivotal in identifying those patients at risk of Sleep Disordered Breathing which include, Snoring, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome and OSA.

This is an upper airway disease and dentists and their hygienists are well placed to be able to note signs and symptoms pertaining to underlying sleep disorder from their own patient base.

Patients often ask a dentist to help with snoring but these patients may be suffering with more than snoring and a dentist can screen and assess and either refer on to a sleep specialist or treat if deemed appropriate.

A dentist can also carry out a Home Sleep Apnoea Test (HSAT) to screen for an underlying problem and manage the patient appropriately depending on the reported results of the sleep test.

A trained dentist is duly qualified to provide a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) for snoring, sleep apnoea and in some cases, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS).

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