Let’s talk about something that happens in a lot of Arlington Heights homes every night. Someone falls asleep next to their partner. A little while later, the snoring starts. Then comes the gasping. Then maybe an elbow to the ribs. If this sounds familiar, you might be surprised to learn that the person who can help isn’t necessarily a sleep specialist or your primary care doctor. It might be your dentist.
The Connection Between Teeth and Sleep
Here’s what most people don’t realize. Your airway runs right past your mouth and jaw. When you sleep, the muscles in your throat relax. For some people, they relax too much. The airway narrows. Air struggles to get through, which causes the snoring. And in more serious cases, the airway actually closes completely for moments at a time. That’s sleep apnea.
Dr. Brent Engelberg at AH Smiles is trained to spot the signs. Things like worn teeth from grinding (which often happens when your body is struggling to breathe at night), a scalloped tongue, or even just a patient mentioning they’re exhausted despite getting eight hours of sleep. These are clues that something bigger might be going on.
What Sleep Apnea Actually Does to You
Sleep apnea isn’t just about feeling tired. It’s about your body literally stopping breathing while you sleep, sometimes hundreds of times a night. Every time it happens, your brain has to wake you up just enough to start breathing again. You might not even remember it in the morning, but your body remembers. Your heart works harder. Your blood pressure stays elevated. And your risk for things like heart attack and stroke goes up.
Daytime exhaustion is just the tip of the iceberg. So is the strain it puts on your relationship when your snoring keeps your partner awake.
The Dental Solution
When sleep apnea is diagnosed, the most common treatment is a CPAP machine. It often works, but some people struggle with wearing a mask and hose every night. The machine is bulky. Traveling with it is a hassle. For some patients, compliance becomes a real issue.
That’s where dentistry comes in. For mild to moderate sleep apnea, oral appliance therapy can be an effective alternative. Dr. Engelberg can create a custom-fitted device that looks somewhat like a sports mouthguard or a retainer. You wear it while you sleep. It gently holds your jaw slightly forward, which keeps your airway open. No mask. No machine. And no hose.
Just something small that fits in your mouth and lets you breathe.
A Team Approach
Here’s an important piece of the puzzle. Dentists don’t diagnose sleep apnea on their own. That requires a sleep study, usually ordered by a physician. What Dr. Engelberg does is recognize the signs, have the conversation with you, and if appropriate, refer you for testing. If the test confirms sleep apnea and oral appliance therapy is recommended, he designs and fits the appliance.
It’s a team approach, and you’re right in the middle of it.
Real Help for Real Nights
If you’ve been told you snore loudly, if you wake up gasping, if your partner sleeps in another room just to get some rest, it’s worth having a conversation. And if you’re already using a CPAP but struggling to stick with it, oral appliance therapy might be something to explore.
Dr. Engelberg and our team at AH Smiles serve patients from Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, Deerfield, and Northbrook. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your treatment options. A good night’s sleep might be closer than you think