Sleep Disorder and Sleep Apnea London
Do you experience loud snoring, but also wake up gasping, feel constantly exhausted, or have your partner report pauses in your breathing during sleep? These could be critical signs of sleep apnoea, a serious medical condition. At The Dental Spa London, our clinic provides comprehensive diagnosis and effective sleep apnoea treatment, helping patients across the capital regain restful sleep and improved health.
Unlike simple snoring, sleep apnoea involves repeated cessation or significant reduction of breathing during sleep. Left undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to severe health complications. Our experienced team is here to accurately assess your symptoms and guide you through the best treatment options available.
Understanding Sleep Apnoea: More Than Just Snoring
The most prevalent form is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), which occurs when the muscles in your throat relax excessively during sleep, causing the soft tissues to collapse and completely or partially block your airway. These breathing interruptions, known as apnoeas (complete pauses) or hypopnoeas (partial reductions), can last from a few seconds to minutes and may occur several times an hour, leading to:
- Loud, frequent snoring (though not all with sleep apnoea snore, and not all snorers have sleep apnoea)
- Witnessed breathing pauses, gasping, or choking sounds during sleep (a key differentiator from simple snoring)
- Excessive and debilitating daytime sleepiness, even after a full night’s rest
- Tooth grinding, also known as bruxism
- Morning headaches and dry mouth/sore throat upon waking
- Difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and increased irritability
- Elevated blood pressure and increased risk of serious cardiovascular problems like heart attack and stroke
- Higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes
- Decreased libido and increased accident risk (e.g., while driving)
While snoring is a sound, sleep apnoea is a breathing disorder that causes drops in blood oxygen levels and fragmented sleep, making it a condition that demands medical attention.
Meet Our Sleep Medicine Dentist
Sleep Medicine Dentist
Our Approach to Sleep Apnoea Treatment in London
At The Dental Spa, our priority is to provide personalised and effective solutions for this complex condition. Our process typically involves:
- Initial Consultation & Symptom Review: We’ll discuss your symptoms, lifestyle, and medical history in detail.
- Diagnosis & Assessment: If sleep apnoea is suspected, we’ll arrange for a formal sleep study (often a convenient home sleep test) to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity of your condition. This objective data is crucial for guiding treatment.
- Tailored Treatment Plans: Based on your diagnosis and the severity of your sleep apnoea, we will recommend the most appropriate and effective treatment.
Our primary sleep apnoea treatments include:
Custom-Made Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs): These bespoke oral appliances are a highly effective non-surgical option for mild to moderate OSA. Worn at night, they gently hold the lower jaw and tongue forward, preventing airway collapse and improving breathing.
Lifestyle Recommendations: We provide essential advice on lifestyle changes that can significantly alleviate sleep apnoea symptoms, such as weight management, avoiding alcohol and sedatives before bed, and positional therapy.
Referrals for CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure): For more severe cases of sleep apnoea, or if an oral appliance is not suitable, we will provide expert referrals to sleep physicians for CPAP therapy. This involves wearing a mask that delivers a continuous flow of air to keep the airway open during sleep, and is the gold standard for severe OSA.
Why Choose The Dental Spa for Sleep Apnoea Treatment in London?
Specialised Expertise: Our team possesses specific training and experience in diagnosing and treating sleep-disordered breathing, including sleep apnoea.
Accurate Diagnosis: We facilitate proper sleep studies to ensure an accurate and severity-based diagnosis.
Proven Treatment Options: We offer and manage effective treatments like custom oral appliances, focusing on solutions that genuinely improve breathing and sleep quality.
Integrated Care: We collaborate with sleep physicians when necessary, ensuring you receive comprehensive and appropriate care for your specific condition.
Improved Health Outcomes: Our aim is to help you mitigate the significant health risks associated with untreated sleep apnoea, leading to a healthier, more energetic life.
Don’t let sleep apnoea compromise your health and well-being. For comprehensive sleep apnoea treatment in London, contact The Dental Spa today and take the first critical step towards better sleep and improved health.
Arrange Your Sleep Apnoea Consultation
To discuss your options and find out how we can help you achieve restful, uninterrupted sleep, please arrange a consultation with our experienced team.
For any enquiries about our services, please call us on: 020 8785 7105.
FAQs
Sleep apnoea is a common but serious sleep disorder where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. This can lead to loud snoring, gasping or choking noises, and feeling incredibly tired during the day, even after a full night’s rest. Untreated, it can have significant health implications, including increasing your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It can also impact your concentration, mood, and overall quality of life.
You might be surprised, but dentists play a crucial role in diagnosing and managing certain sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and related issues like teeth grinding (bruxism). We’re often the first to spot tell-tale signs in your mouth, such as worn teeth, jaw pain, or a scalloped tongue. If we suspect a sleep disorder, we can refer you for a proper sleep study. Crucially, we can also provide custom-fitted oral appliances, like mandibular advancement devices (MADs), which can effectively treat mild to moderate OSA by gently repositioning your jaw to keep your airway open while you sleep.
For many patients, particularly those with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea, a custom-made oral appliance is a highly effective alternative to traditional CPAP machines. These discreet devices are designed to fit precisely over your teeth and work by gently moving your lower jaw forward to prevent your airway from collapsing during sleep, reducing snoring and improving your breathing. We’ll assess your specific needs and determine if this is the right course of action for you.
If you or your partner notice symptoms such as very loud snoring, pauses in your breathing during sleep, gasping or choking, or if you consistently feel tired and sluggish during the day despite adequate sleep, it’s definitely worth seeking advice. You might also experience morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, or mood changes. We encourage you to book a consultation at Dental Spa Putney if any of these sound familiar. We can conduct an initial assessment and guide you on the next steps, including referral to a sleep specialist if needed for a definitive diagnosis.
