The TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of San Diego - "Sleep Awareness Week"

La Mesa, CA, March 4, 2016 (Newswire.com) - TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre joins National Sleep Foundation in their focus to bring the importance of sleep awareness and education to the American public. NIH (National Institutes for Health) has identified that sleep related breathing problems such as obstructive sleep apnea and snoring affect 50 to 70 million Americans. Obstructive sleep apnea has no age boundaries; it affects both adults and children.

Sleep Apnea is defined as the absence of breathing during sleep. When you are not breathing properly during sleep, there is little or no oxygen getting to the lungs; it is like a slow suffocation.  Suffocation triggers the cycle of repeated awakening to breathe, resulting in interrupted and poor sleep.   Suffocation can also trigger bruxism, which is an unconscious movement to open an airway.  This constant movement not only wears down the teeth and the temporomandibular joint, it frequently results in craniofacial pain (headaches, Migraines, TMD). A common reason for the medical condition known as ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnea’ (OSA) is a poorly positioned jaw or tongue which can lead to a blocked airway, preventing oxygen to the lungs.  A custom fabricated oral appliance can be the answer.

The good news is that sleep apnea in children can be cured! Because children are still growing, their structure can be directed for optimal development of the airway. Non-invasive treatment options are also available for adult patients suffering with sleep apnea including the CPAP intolerant patient. It is important to understand that the lack of oxygen needed for good sleep does not simply make you tired. There are a wide range of health conditions resulting from the cumulative effect of poor oxygenation and loss of sleep: 

The health risks associated with sleep breathing disorders for adults include:

• Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
• High Blood Pressure and Stroke
• Heart Attack
• Dysfunctions of The Nervous System
• Craniofacial Pain, Orthopedic Dysfunction of TM joints

The health risks associated with sleep breathing disorders for children include:

• Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
• Cognitive Deficiency and ADHD
• Impaired Intelligence and Delayed Development 
• Depression
• Craniofacial Pain, Orthopedic Dysfunction of TM joints                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

WHAT TO LOOK FOR - Watch and Listen to Your Child – They should be evaluated if they meet any of the following:

• Do they wake in the same position in which they fell asleep? 
• Are the bed sheets strewn all over the bed? 
• Do they have trouble concentrating, or easily agitated? 
• Do they have dark circles under the eyes?  
• Do they snore? 

The American Association of Pediatrics “Patient Parameters” states all children should be screened for snoring and all children who snore should have a sleep study for evaluation of apnea because of ADD / ADHD and cardiovascular risk.

Test Yourself - You should be evaluated if you answer ‘Yes’, to any of the follow

1. Do you snore?
2. Are you a diagnosed sleep apnea patient with CPAP intolerance?
3. Do you often experience morning headaches?
4. Do you wake feeling unrefreshed or unrested?
5. Have you or your sleep partner identified that you choke, gasp or stop breathing during sleep?

Contact TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of San Diego ​| Phone:  619.466.2774 | http://tmjtherapycentre.com

We are here to help you!!   TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of San Diego is accredited by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Our director, Dr. Steven Olmos, is certified in both Dental Sleep Medicine and Craniofacial pain. We are dedicated exclusively to non-surgical treatments for Sleep Apnea and Craniofacial Pain. We understand the unique needs of both adult and pediatric patients, and we are committed to the highest standard of care.