My Husband Stops Breathing

Posted by writeradmin

I’m worried about my husband. Sometimes when he’s sleeping he just stops breathing. He says it isn’t a problem and he’s done it his whole life, but I’m worried that one day he’ll stop breathing completely. I heard there is something called airway related dentistry. Is there something with his teeth that is causing his problem?

Evie

Dear Evie,

The problem isn’t is teeth, in this case, but a muscle in the back of his throat that is relaxing too much into his air passage. While it is not likely that your husband will stop breathing completely, his condition does need to be treated.

When your body stops breathing, your brain recognizes that and wakes you up. This can happen a hundred times a night. It’s caused by obstructive sleep apnea. Left untreated, this can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke.

He also likely feels tired even though he’s had a full night’s sleep. That is because his body is waking him up constantly throughout the night. So, even if he blows off the long term consequences, maybe the fact that he can feel refreshed will be a motivator for him.

Dentists can treat this condition, known as sleep apnea. In its mild form, it can cause snoring. In its more advanced form, called obstructive sleep apnea, people end up having trouble breathing.

Call your dentist and see if he treats this. If he or she doesn’t, there are plenty who do, which you can call. I’d get the ball rolling for him, because he’ll need to have a sleep study done and you can get that on the books.

This blog is brought to you by a compassionate Cincinnati Dentist Dr. Fred Peck.
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