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Did you know that most people are not given the option of oral appliance therapy for snoring and apnea after they have been diagnosed with such a sleep disorder? Many of these people are struggling with the drowsiness and fatigue often associated with living untreated snoring and apnea. For years now, oral appliances has been approved and recommended by top experts in the field, but public acceptance is still lagging!  For the majority of cases, professional oral appliances may be the best option, especially for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), snorers, and those who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy.

Dental Sleep and TMD Center of Illinois, a premiere snoring and apnea treatment center in Naperville, has been providing the CPAP alternative treatment of oral appliance therapy for over 15 years successfully. We are extremely passionate in helping individuals that have been struggling with CPAP therapy in Naperville, Lisle, Aurora, Bolingbrook and surrounding Chicago suburbs. For more information on this physician recommended treatment option, visit www.TiredOfSnoring.com or call us at (630) 369-5508.

…but, you don’t want to spend a night taking a sleep test?

That’s a common reaction. Most people do not want to take the time or be inconvenienced by spending a night at a sleep center.  We recently treated a 41 year old marathon runner that thought he was a “light” snorer.  His wife insisted he woke her up several times each night.  She had enough! She was waking up with headaches, irritable all day and basically at her wit’s end!  Her husband went in for a sleep test, received his results and found he had moderate to severe apnea.

Top 3 Reasons to Schedule a Sleep Test

1. Determine the severity of your snoring and/or apnea.
2. Develop a treatment plan to help you and your bed partner sleep.
3. Stop the detrimental effects that untreated apnea causes, including strokes, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, weight gain and heart attacks.

Your first step in scheduling a sleep test is to visit your primary care physician to discuss your concerns.  Next, follow-up with a sleep test at a certified sleep center.  Finally, request a copy of your sleep test to discuss and review with a knowledgeable medical professional trained in sleep disorders.  Contact our office, we would be happy to refer you to a MD in the area that will help you determine the best treatment option for both your sleep condition and lifestyle. The options that should be presented to you?  Positional therapy, CPAP-therapy and Oral Appliance Therapy.  All of these treatment options may not work for you, however, know they are available.  Be an advocate for yourself, know your options!!

Please call us if you have any further questions. 630/369-5508

People who often snore are at risk of higher blood pressure, strokes, heart attack, and of course relationship strains. If that’s not enough to look into ways to get your snoring treated, you may be interested to know that snoring can also have a dangerous effect on your eyes.

People who snore often may have a condition called obstructive sleep apnea, a life-altering condition, in which a person unknowingly stops breathing during sleep, or has oxygen-dipping events throughout the night.

This lack of oxygen affects the body negatively in many ways.  In relation specifically to eyes, people with obstructive sleep apnea are at risk for:

• Floppy Eye Syndrome
• Normal tension glaucoma
• CPAP associated – eye strain
• Asthenopia (generalized eye discomfort)
• Papilledema (swelling of the optic nerve)
• NAION (decreased oxygen and blood flow to optic nerve)

These last 2 conditions can lead to vision loss.

Also, some of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Fatigue
• Tiredness
• Eye strain
• Morning headaches

These common symptoms of snoring and apnea are often confused with eye problems.

If you are snoring or have a family history of snoring, consider treatment and evaluation for your particular situation. If you are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above and sleeping disorders have been ruled out, it may be time to get your eyes evaluated.

You may be desperately searching for a snoring solution. Media advertised stop snoring mouth devices such as Puresleep and many other similar retainers may seem like the answer to your prayers. But, here are some important facts to be aware of  that may not only save dental funds, on a greater scale may add years to your life!

• If you are snoring often, you should have your snoring evaluated by a professional knowledgeable in sleep medicine.
• If your medical provider says, “everyone snores” and doesn’t see the importance of an evaluation, consider finding someone trained through the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
• People who snore regularly often have a serious sleep condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
• Devices purchased though mail order media sites can put people at risk by ‘hiding’ apnea while reducing snoring levels.  Dangerous oxygen dips during sleep may still be occurring.
• Many of these ‘mail ordered’ devices can create quite serious side effects like dislodgements of dental work, loosening of teeth, and teeth shifting to the point of even lisping.

Several months ago, I examined a new patient that had been using a Puresleep mouth device. The patient was suffering from mild obstructive sleep apnea and was originally recommended the CPAP device. Since his diagnosis was mild OSA, he decided to get a Puresleep mouth device as a short-term option. The device worked with marginal results, and eventually the patient found us to see if further similar treatment could improve results.

Upon examination and discussion with this new patient, the patient found some concern. He now noticed himself lisping during speech. At times, this side effect can be corrected with stopping using the device, other times braces (orthodontics) may be needed to get the bite back to normal, often a costly expense.

Next time, when searching for a snoring cure, consider seeking help from a trained dentist in dental sleep medicine. These dentists work with professional devices that are custom made. A trained dental professional can help prevent or manage potential side affects that can occur with professional oral appliance therapy. For snoring in the absence of apnea, these devices are extremely effective.  For those snoring with apnea, they work in the majority of cases.

For more information on the dangers of mail order anti-snoring devices, see my interview with sleep expert Dr. Gail Demko. www.tiredofsnoring.com/2012/05/the-dangers-of-over-the-counter-anti-snoring-devices/

Dental Sleep and TMD Center of Illinois, a premiere snoring and apnea treatment center in Naperville, has been providing the CPAP alternative treatment of oral appliance therapy for over 15 years successfully. We are extremely passionate in helping individuals that have been struggling with CPAP therapy in Naperville, Wheaton, Aurora, Bolingbrook and surrounding Chicago suburbs. For more information on this physician recommended treatment option, visit www.TiredOfSnoring.com or call us at (630)369-5508.

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During this past holiday season, I admit that the television was on a little more than usual.  I could not help but notice some great snoring-help commercials.  From specialized pillows, to specialized mattresses, to the over-the-counter anti-snoring mouth retainers such as ‘Pure sleep’, the plea for help is quite noticeable.

When I first started helping individuals with snoring and apnea conditions over 15 years ago, there were approximately 40 or so professional types of devices for snoring and apnea relief, now over 80!  I can’t even imagine how many non-professional treatment options for snoring are on the market! But what many people don’t realize, although helpful, many of these can mask life-threatening conditions of obstructive sleep apnea or other sleep disorders. Also, not easily reversible side effects can occur, especially with anti-snoring devices inserted into the mouth.

In as little as a few weeks of wearing a mail order device similar to Pure Sleep, noticeable permanent tooth changes may occur. Lisping is one potential side effect that may require orthodontic work to reverse.  Although similar side effects can occur with even the professional devices, it’s important to work directly with a dentist trained in sleep disorders.  There are several ways to help prevent or manage such side effects, and obviously direct supervision is non-existent with mail order treatments.

If you are interested in finding out more about the dangers of over-the counter anti-snoring mouth devices, we encourage you to listen to a previously recorded audio interview, The Dangers of Over-the-Counter Anti-Snoring Devices, with sleep expert Dr. Gail Demko, a general dentist and one of the pioneers of the field of oral appliance therapy that treats snoring and apnea with CPAP alternative.

For more information on how we can help you stop snoring safely and with thorough dental-sleep guidance, call our practice today 630-369-5508.

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