You may be wondering what sleep apnea has to do with dentistry. Dr. Stephen J. Burds offers this multiple choice test to help you learn its importance.

1.) Sleep apnea is:

A.) A chronic disorder that affects your sleep

B.) Talking in your sleep

C.) Tossing and turning in your sleep

2.) Sleep apnea can be treated by:

A.) An oncologist

B.) A dentist

C.) A chiropractor

3.) Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

A.) Snoring

B.) Breathing lapses while sleeping

C.) Snorting or gasping

D.) All of the above

4.) Sleep apnea symptoms only affect:

A.) The snorer

B.) The snorer’s family members

C.) The snorer’s significant other

D.) All of the above

5.) Sleep apnea can:

A.) Be potentially dangerous

B.) Prevent you from obtaining a deep, restful sleep

C.) Cause sleepwalking

D.) B.oth A and B

6.) The three types of sleep apnea are:

A.) Daytime and nighttime sleep apnea

B.) Obstructive, central, and complex sleep apnea

C.) Disruptive and non-disruptive sleep apnea

D.) None of the above

7,) Obstructive sleep apnea is:

A.) The least common form

B.) The least dangerous form

C.) The most common form

D.) None of the above

Answers:

1. A. Sleep apnea is a chronic disorder that affects your sleep. A person with sleep apnea can experience shallow breathing or pauses in their breathing while they sleep.

2. B. Sleep apnea typically originates with tissues in your mouth and throat, and your dentist can often help you treat its underlying causes.

3. D. Because sleep apnea involves oral tissues that block your airway while you sleep, snoring, gasping, and frequent breathing cessation are common symptoms of the disorder.

4. D. Excessively loud snoring is one of the dominant factors of sleep apnea. Besides depriving you of sleep, the noise can also affect your sleeping partner and the rest of your sleeping household.

5. D.  Because sleep apnea disrupts your breathing and deprives your brain of oxygen, it can be potentially dangerous. When your brain is deprived of oxygen, it panics and signals your body to start breathing again. This can prevent you from reaching the deep, restful sleep that you need to rejuvenate.

6. B. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when oral tissues collapse and block your airway when sleeping. Central sleep apnea occurs because your brain fails to send the proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing. Complex sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea, and is typically the most difficult form to treat.

7. C. It is estimated that 22 million people suffer with some form of sleep apnea in the US alone; obstructive sleep apnea being the most common.

About Your Des Moines Dentist

If you are experiencing severe or excessive snoring or other sleep apnea symptoms, contact your Des Moines dentist, Dr. Burds, by calling Gateway Dental Group at (515) 244-9565. We welcome patients from River Bend, Kirkwood Glen, East Village, and neighboring communities.