At the office of Dr. Alan J. White & Dr. Jesse Myers, we are committed to helping you improve not only your oral health, but also your overall health! Snoring, and it’s more serious companion sleep apnea, may have serious health consequences that can be easily treated and averted by your dentist. 

In addition to being annoying to your partner and those around you, snoring is oftentimes an indication of a more serious underlying problem called sleep apnea. Snoring occurs when you sleep and the muscles of your throat relax to the point of restricting your airflow. This causes vibration which causes that familiar sound (ZZZZ…!!!) If the airflow is restricted enough, you fail to get adequate oxygen and that is sleep apnea!

Persons with sleep apnea have an increased risk for:

—High blood pressure (If you’re not getting enough oxygen, your heart pumps harder trying to get more oxygen)

—Heart Disease (Obviously, if your heart is having to pump harder, it’s more likely to have a heart attack or fibrillation)

—Stroke (80% of stroke patients have sleep apnea!)

—Diabetes (80% of persons with Type 2 Diabetes have sleep apnea also)

—Weight Gain (It’s a vicious circle. The heavier you are, the more likely you are to have sleep apnea. If you have sleep apnea, it’s harder to lose weight.)

—Daytime Drowsiness 

—Falling asleep at the wheel

—Insomnia 

—Memory Loss

—Depression 

—Morning Headaches