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The Hidden Consequences of Sleep Apnea

Do you have wake up several times during the night and have a hard time failing back asleep? Does this leave you feeling groggy and out of it during the day. Maybe you snore when you finally do fall asleep. If you have any of these symptoms, it’s possible you have sleep apnea.

I’m Dr. James Stewart, and I treat sleep apnea patients right here at my office in Livonia, Michigan. Sleep apnea is a medical sleep disorder that occurs when soft tissues in the throat or mouth block free airflow while you sleep. This causes you to take in too little oxygen to support normal breathing. If breathing stops for more than 10 seconds, your body will wake you to reinitiate normal breathing. This interrupts your sleep cycle and deprives you of the sleep needed to fully refuel and rejuvenate your body.

Beat Bad Breath and Breathe Easy

Bad breath is clinically known as halitosis. While it can come from the stomach, most often halitosis is the result of bacterial waste products in the mouth. Bacteria are alive, and you have over 600 types of the little critters in your mouth at any given time. Certain types of bacteria emit a smelly sulfur compound in plaque. The best way to beat this type of halitosis is to keep your mouth clean.

One-Visit Root Canal Therapy

A human tooth has layers. The white part we see is the enamel, and a layer of sensitive dentin is underneath. Then, the inner core is a canal that houses the tooth’s root, or nerve. The root brings nutrients to the tooth and removes waste. If the root is compromised by a deep cavity or fracture, it can become infected — and ultimately, it will die. The infection builds, creating painful pressure from within the tooth. Root canal treatment is a procedure in which I remove the internal infection and place a man-made substance in the tooth’s canal. The tooth is then crowned, and it can remain in place indefinitely if it stays healthy.

Dr. James Stewart, Livonia Dentist and Dental Sleep Medicine Expert

For a few months now, this blog has been dedicated to dental sleep medicine. We’re shifting gears a bit because I’m more than a sleep apnea doctor. I’m an established general dentist who provides state-of-the-art dental care for families from Livonia, Farmington, Farmington Hills, and surrounding communities. My team and I offer checkups and cleanings,… Read more »

Can Sleep Apnea be Fatal? Yes!

Don’t let your sleep disorder go undiagnosed and untreated. Sleep apnea was listed by Reader’s Digest as one of the top 10 diseases doctors miss. If you snore, if you awake in the night choking and gasping, if you feel chronically fatigued, irritable, and non-productive, come in and talk with me about a sleep study. I’m Dr. James Stewart, a Livonia dentist, and I’ve also studied dental sleep medicine. A sleep apnea oral appliance could eliminate your symptoms and give you renewed quality of life. It’s helped many of my patients overcome sleep apnea and enjoy refreshing rest. Sleep dentistry also works well for people who’ve tried CPAP and had poor results.

Reports Say, Sleep Apnea Can Cause Pilots to Fall Asleep at the Controls

Falling asleep on the job is bad if you work in an office. It’s worse if you drive a truck for work. But if your job is flying a commercial aircraft, even almost falling asleep is potentially catastrophic — but not unheard of. According to anonymously authored responses compiled in the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System reports, there are several dozen instances in which pilots fell asleep at the controls of an aircraft.

One Quarter of Truck Drivers Suffer from Sleep Apnea

In 2002, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sponsored a study that showed, of the nearly three-and-a-half million truck drivers with a commercial license, 26% suffer with sleep apnea. This finding is a serious concern because sleep apnea significantly impairs driving ability and can lead to highway accidents. Many truck drivers avoid diagnosis because the FMCSA’s policy states that once diagnosed, a driver must be successfully treated before he or she can resume driving a commercial truck.

Sleep Apnea Affects One-Fifth of US Military Veterans

I thought I’d tell you about some recent data regarding our veterans and sleep apnea. Experts aren’t exactly sure why, but about 20% of American war veterans suffer with sleep apnea.  Some believe that the smoke and dust the vets inhaled in Afghanistan may be to blame.  Problem is, sleep apnea causes daytime drowsiness, forgetfulness,… Read more »

Heart Attack from Snoring is a Risk You Can Avoid

Many people think that snoring is just an annoying habit. Studies show, however, that snoring can indicate sleep apnea, a condition linked to cardiovascular disease. Fact: Men who snore face a 60% (or greater) risk of heart attack. Women who snore are at 50% increased risk for heart attack. Fact: When treated for sleep apnea,… Read more »

Could Sleep Apnea Cause Your Drowsy Days?

According to research, Americans suffer from daytime sleepiness more than Europeans. Nearly 20% of American adults feel extremely sleepy during the day, and only 15% of Europeans feel this way. More women than men struggle with excessive daytime drowsiness. When we’re tired, accidents can happen—at work, at home, and on the road. I’m Dr. Stewart,… Read more »