I sometimes snore.  My husband snores.  My daughter used to snore.  My parents snore.  Almost everyone I know snores.  So, it's normal, right?  Wrong!  It is not normal.

That's what I thought before working with Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt and a variety of other dentists to whom Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt introduced me.

Snoring isn't normal.  In fact, if not treated, it could actually kill you.  Okay, I know that sounds dramatic.  And when I tell my loved ones, they say, "I snore because . . ." There's no "because."  Snoring is not normal and the long-term effects are serious.

Snoring is the number one indicator of an obstruction.   If you are snoring, you are not sleeping well.  And that is when things get dangerous.  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder.  It  is typically caused by an obstruction such as large tonsils or adenoids.  When you are sleeping on your back, it's worse.  Ever elbowed your spouse when he was snoring?  He then rolled onto his side and stopped snoring.  Gravity makes OSA worse when you're on your back because the obstructive tissues then block the airway. 

What health risks are created by OSA?  Heart disease including heart attacks and heart failure.  Stroke.  Diabetes.  Obesity.  And if you are sleep deprived, you probably shouldn't be driving.  Driving with sleep deprivation is as bad as driving drunk.  You could kill yourself or someone else as you doze off on that 20 minute ride home.  Or wreck because of  impaired judgment and delayed reaction time.  The list goes on and on. 

Why does OSA cause health problems?  A friend of mine just had a sleep study done to determine if she has OSA.  In seven hours, she only slept four (although she would swear she sleeps for seven hours).  That means that within seven hours, her snoring woke her body up - to catch its breathe - a total of three hours in small intrevals.  And what's worse . . . in the four hours that she slept, the snoring kept her from reaching a deep sleep.  That means that even though she's in bed for seven to eight hours a night thinking  that she's sleeping, she isn't.  That explains everything . . . the fact that she falls asleep mid-sentence, while she's driving, while she's watching TV.  She is severely deprived of sleep.  And sleep deprivation will harm your body is an endless number of ways.

What's worse is that the causes and effects of OSA are intermingled.  Take obesity, for example.  If you are overweight, you are more likely to suffer from OSA (although healthy, non-obese people have OSA too).  You think  you get a good night's sleep but you don't.  The next day, you are exhausted and are inactive.  You can't even muster the energy to go move the clothes from the washer to the dryer.  How is a person that tired supposed to go work out to work off extra pounds?  So, it's a ripple effect.  It's a vicious cycle.  Obesity causes OSA.  OSA causes obesity.  And obesity often causes Type 2 Diabetes . . . a disease no one wants.

When telling others that Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt can help with OSA, I am often sarcastically asked, "are they dentists or are they sleep doctors?!"

Well, if it weren't for Dr. Colt's advice regarding my three-year-old's snoring, I wouldn't have taken her to an ENT in      Wichita.  It was her adenoids . . . big, air-passageway-blockin' adenoids.  After a simple procedure (adenoidectomy), not only does she not snore but she has more energy and sleeps through the night most nights.  In addition, her quiet voice has gotten louder and more pronounced.  Once I witnessed firsthand the results of her successful adenoidectomy, I no longer questioned the importance of sleep, the severity of anything obstructing one's breathing during sleep and why dentists should be a part of such diagnosis and treatment.

As Dr. Colt explained regarding my daughter, her obstruction is even worse if she is sick.  It's like your child is breathing through a coffee-stirring straw.  Almost impossible to get any air.  But the body finds a way because it requires the same amount of oxygen during sleep.  Therefore, the body has to work harder and it leaves the person feeling exhausted and not refreshed, even after eight hours of "sleep."

More importantly, all too many times, a child is diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.  However, it is actually sleep apnea/sleep deprivation. (It could even be the quality of bed on which the child sleeps.) The child is not getting enough sleep . . . good sleep.  He or she cannot perform at school.  He or she is distracted.  He or she is irritated.  Wouldn't you be if you weren't getting enough sleep?!  Instead of being diagnosed with OSA, too many children are being diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and are placed on medication to solve the problem.  However, the amount and quality of sleep are being overlooked.  And our daughter was abnormally tired.  She had a hard time focusing without getting sleepy.  If she were older, she would have most likely been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.  Dr. Colt explained that her actions are not typical of a three-year-old and that something else must be going on.  He was right.  And her adenoidectomy has made all the difference.

And if it weren't for Dr. Mitsch and his advice, a close friend could have died during a standard surgical procedure due to the severity of her sleep apnea.

Back to snoring. If you snore, you most likely have some obstruction.  It could be soft tissue blocking your airway.  That could include tonsils, adenoids, etc.  And that, my friends, is why a dentist is a good person to consult.  If it's related to your mouth, your dentist will see it.  After all, you most likely see them every six months.  And for many, that's more often than they see their primary care physician.   If it's your throat, you will most likely be sent to an ENT.  Another reason there's a snoring/sleep apnea connection with your dentist . . . if it is obstructive sleep apnea, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is the standard treatment.  However, many patients are CPAP-intolerant for many reasons.   That is when a dentist's help may be needed.  Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt are both able to design an oral sleep appliance that helps eliminate the obstruction by way of your mouth/jaw positioning.  These appliances can be used in addition to a CPAP if the CPAP is restricting your jaw position.  Being in the correct oral position can not only help eliminate obstruction but also keep your jaw joint healthy.

So, do you sleep?  Do you have OSA?  Does someone you love snore?  Do they have OSA?  Here's a self-check that might help you answer those questions:

 1)  Have you been told that you snore?
 2) Have you been told that you stop breathing when you sleep?
 3) Are you sleepy during the day - even if you think you slept through the night?
 4) Do you have high blood pressure?
 5) Do you sleep restlessly, always tossing and turning?
 6) Do you frequently wake up with headaches in the morning?
 7) Do you fall asleep at inappropriate times?
 8) You have had a recent change in personality?
 9) Are you overweight?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you should consult your primary care physician.  If you have obstructive sleep apnea and are CPAP-intolerant, Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt will work with your physician or sleep doctor to help with your OSA.   Both Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt are members of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.  They will work with your physician or sleep doctor in your treatment.

We are not trying to scare you.  We are trying to share information that may improve - or even save - your life or the life of someone you love.  Snoring is not normal.  It is a sign that something is wrong.  Please take it seriously.  Please call your physician or Augusta Family Dentistry if you believe you suffer from OSA.