Do you or your partner snore frequently? 37 million Americans regularly snore. Snoring not only interrupts others but can also leave snorers at risk of developing further problems. Oftentimes, snoring can also be an indicator of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax and close the airway. Many patients with sleep apnea repeatedly stop and start breathing during the night. Additionally, patients with sleep apnea often don’t get a full night’s sleep because of irregular breathing periods. If you snore and want to prevent sleep apnea from affecting your sleep, try Solea Sleep in our Boise, ID office.
Mouth-based snoring is the most common type of snoring for patients with sleep apnea. When air flows past the tissues in the soft palate, it vibrates and causes snoring or palatal fluttering. Additionally, patients may breathe through their mouth because of a blockage in their nasal passages, loose soft palate tissue, or enlarged tonsils.
Signs of Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Along with snoring, common symptoms of sleep apnea can include:
- Dry throat or dry mouth
- Restless sleep
- Irritability and mood swings
- Insomnia
- Morning headaches
Call our office if you notice changes in your or your partner’s sleep. We can help you receive care in our office with Solea Sleep. It is important to address symptoms of sleep apnea like snoring because sleep apnea may worsen over time. Sleep apnea restricts oxygen to the heart and can lead to problems like heart disease, strokes, and even heart attacks. Patients who already have heart problems, diabetes, or are overweight are at increased risk of complications due to sleep apnea.
Treat Snoring with Solea Sleep in Boise, ID
Before treatment with Solea Sleep, we can determine the patient’s snoring frequency with SnoreLab. SnoreLab is a phone app that tracks snoring throughout the night. After we begin the Solea Sleep laser treatment, patients can see the difference in their sleep apnea symptoms like snoring with the app.
Solea Sleep laser therapy offers quick, efficient treatment. It uses a CO2 laser that contracts the collagen in the soft palate. Tightening the collagen opens up the airway, and many patients feel that they can breathe easier during both the day and night after treatment. We may recommend multiple treatments for patients to tighten the tissue and increase space in the airway. Each treatment takes about 20 minutes and offers painless care. Patients may only feel heat from the laser on their palate.
Dental lasers that we use in office, like the Solea Sleep laser, provide safe treatments for dental patients. Lasers use light and heat energy that targets the mouth’s hard or soft tissues. During Solea treatment, the CO2 laser targets soft tissues in the palate or roof of the mouth.
Do you think you have sleep apnea? Contact our dental office at (208) 254-6365 if you or your partner have trouble snoring. You may also request a dental appointment on our website. At LIFESmiles, we are dedicated to helping patients treat their problems, whether routine dental care or sleep apnea.