A few statistics about sleep ... Did you know?

DIAGNOSIS OF SLEEP APNEA:Some people wonder why dentists are involved in the manangement of sleep apnea and why we might be at the front lines of discovering and referring people with sleep apnea to their medical doctors for further investigation. Sleep apnea in many ways is a disease of anatomy. Certain anatomic features can predispose people to developing sleep apnea. Did You Know * When the tongue does not have enough room between the teeth either due to the tongue being too large or the dental arches being too narrow, it must move back toward the throat to find room for itself. This can restrict air flow through the upper airway. When the tongue needs more room its sides often push against the teeth and indentations of the teeth can be seen on the sides of the tongue. This creates a scalloped appearance. When I see a scalloped tongue, I know there is a 70% likelihood that the person will have sleep apnea. * Sleep apnea if discovered in children can usually be cured. It cannot be cured once we become adult. At that point it can only be managed at best. * 33% of all fatal truck accidents are due to sleep deprivation. * Driving impairment is the same whether the driver is drunk or sleep deprived (sleep apnea can have this effect) * Studies have shown that the risk of motor vehicle accidents increases by 2 to 7 times when a person has sleep apnea. * 58% of people with Diabetes have sleep apnea. * 35% of people with high blood pressure have sleep apnea. * 50% of people with congestive heart failure have sleep apnea * Even mild sleep apnea poses health risks * Some risk factors for sleep apnea include ... Obesity 60-70% of people with sleep apnea are obese, Male gender, Increasing age, Family history of sleep apnea, alcohol or sedative use, bite problems (dentist's territory), smoking, endocrine (hormonal) and metabolic disorders * Some symptoms of sleep apnea include: ... Heavy snoring,- 90% of loud snorers have sleep apnea, Stop breathing in sleep and then "snort", High blood pressure, morning headaches, restless sleep, depression, severe anxiety, short term memory loss, tempermental behaviour, poor job perforkmance, imptoence, dry mouth upon awakening, mouth breathing, excessive daytime sleepiness. * Most people with sleep apnea have what is termed a forward head posture ( the head is postured forward of the body) * A high palatal vault (where the hard palate is) is 90% predictive of sleep apnea - this can be caused by mouth breathing * A retruded lower jaw or what might appear as a retruded chin predisposes a person to sleep apnea about 70% of the time I have seen marriages saved by treating sleep apnea. Not only does the person sleep more easily and peacefully, you will find it is much quieter too. When a person sleeps better, their mood is better and they are generally less grumpy. This alone has a huge impact not only on a person's marriage, but on their entire outlook on life. SERIOUS CONDITION: As you can see, sleep apnea is associated with many serious medical conditions. It is important to speak with you family doctor about this issue, especially if you feel that you are tired often, or you snore. It could save or prolong your life. Until next time ... Yours sincerely, Dr. Marty Frankel 416-770-8526 drmartyfrankel@rogers.com 5775 Yonge St., Suite 1000