Should I Be Tested for Sleep Apnea?

Why is my dentist talking about sleep apnea and saying I should be tested for this condition?

The question should be why wouldn’t your dentist be talking about this?  About 22 million Americans have some type of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), with 80 percent of the moderate to severe cases going undiagnosed.  Patients usually see their doctor for a well-check once a year, but see their dentist for a checkup two or more times a year.

It is important to screen, diagnose and treat OSA, including in children and adults. Untreated OSA can lead to acid reflux, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, stroke and cause an increased risk of Type II diabetes, depression and accidents caused by drowsiness. In children, it can cause symptoms similar to ADD/ADHD.  Orally, it can cause damage and malalignment of teeth.

Your dentist screens for OSA using a questionnaire assessing your quality of sleep, daytime sleepiness and snoring habits, and then determines your risk based on your neck size, tooth evaluation and airway size. Your risk and the need for a sleep study are then determined.

If you have sleep apnea, you may need a CPAP machine or the dentist can help assess the best treatment to increase your airway, which may include orthodontics or an appliance called a mandibular advancement device (MAD). Early intervention of sleep apnea creates a better quality of life.

 

About the author

Stacey Sparkman Hall, D.D.S.

Dr. Stacey Hall brings her unique outlook on dental care and her personable optimism to the Williamsburg Center for Dental Health. With nine years of solid dental expertise as a dentist in Williamsburg, she decided in early 2011 to branch out and open her own local practice. After completing her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in 1998, Dr. Hall graduated from VCU’s MCV School of Dentistry in 2002, receiving her D.D.S. She is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and was awarded member fellowship to the International Congress of Oral Implantology in 2008. She leads the elite Tidewater Dawson Study Club and is a scholar with the interntaionally renowned Dawson Academy. As a Dawson ambassador, Dr. Hall also assists in the training of students in the Dawson Academy. Stacey and her husband Michael have been blessed with three beautiful girls, Lanie, Gracie and Abbie. She is a loyal Virginia Tech Football fan, and enjoys Bible study and missions work.