Obesity is having a BMI over 30% of the body’s weight – nearly one-third of the body’s weight as fat. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Michigan has an “obesity prevalence” of 34.5%. While some states are higher and some lower, that’s not good.
Weight is a concern for many Americans, especially if you’re in the 45-54 age group with nearly a 40% prevalence. However, statistics show that young adults have nearly the same percentage.
Why is this concern being addressed by your dentist?
According to the American Medical Association, about 30 million people in the U.S. have sleep apnea. However, only 6 million are diagnosed with the disorder. I believe this is partly due to people being largely unaware of the symptoms. These often include daytime fatigue or feeling tired all the time, nodding off easily while sitting, feeling forgetful or clumsy during the day, and weight gain.
Here is where your weight and sleep quality cross paths: During REM sleep (the deep level of rejuvenating sleep), the brain is busy eliminating toxins and resetting hormonal levels. Without sufficient oxygen levels during this time, the brain is less efficient in these tasks.
To overcome sluggishness during the day, the brain urges you to seek quick energy sources, typically sparking cravings for sugar and carbohydrates. To boot, the brain activates hunger urges more often and decreases your feeling of fullness. Add to this the fatigue that makes you want to crawl into bed rather than take a walk and you have a sure recipe for weight gain.
For people with sleep apnea, their attempts to lose weight have their brains literally working against them. However, restoring restful sleep may be fairly simple
As a neuromuscular dentist, I have a unique perspective on the structural factors that contribute to sleep apnea. With an extended understanding of the airway passages and craniofacial makeup that contribute to the likelihood of sleep apnea, our Shelby Township dental office has been able to help adults with mild to moderate sleep apnea overcome the hazards of this sleep disorder.
In addition to extensive training so our patients receive a proper diagnosis, we have incorporated advanced technology. These features provide intricate computerized imaging, which enables us to create individualized appliances, designed to achieve maximum results.
Here, oral appliances are custom-designed to the unique contours of your mouth. These oral appliances are custom-contoured, small and do not interfere with sleep. They are also FDA approved and easy to clean.
Although some dentists offer oral devices as an add-on to their dental services, it’s important to know that the design and fit of these appliances can vary a great deal.
Truly, this is no place for a one-size-fits-all approach.
If you feel you suffer from sleep apnea, schedule a free consultation in our comfortable Macomb County dental office. During this time, I’ll explain the diagnostic process and answer your questions. Call 586-739-2155 or tap here to begin.
Learn more about our extensive array of advanced technology at: DrBarbatTechnology
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html#overall
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