Sleep apnoea occurs when the walls of the throat come together during sleep, blocking off the upper airway.
Breathing stops for a period of time until the brain registers the lack of breathing or a drop in oxygen levels and sends a small wake-up call. The sleeper rouses slightly, opens the upper airway, typically snorts and gasps, then drifts back to sleep almost immediately.
In most cases, the person suffering from sleep apnoea doesn’t even realise they are waking. This pattern can repeat itself hundreds of times every night, causing fragmented sleep, and thus results in the person feeling unrefreshed in the morning, with excessive daytime sleepiness, poor daytime concentration, work performance, and fatigue.
It’s estimated that five percent of Australians suffer from sleep apnoea, with around one in four men over the age of 30 affected.
If you suffer from disturbed sleep or are interested in learning more about sleep apnoea and it’s treatments, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr Tinney and the team at Sydney General Dental today.
Sleep apnoea is not just snoring or feeling tired during the day – it is a serious medical condition that not only affects your sleep but can severely impact your health and your quality of life.
We treat sleep apnoea through sleep dentistry. The treatment provided will relieve snoring and sleep apnoea through the use of a custom-made appliance.
Both snoring and sleep apnoea occur when your jaw is dropped back, causing your tongue and the tissues at the back of your mouth to collapse into the back of your throat. Sleep apnoea occurs when your airways become completely blocked and this causes the short breath or choking symptom.