Sleep Apnoea in Adults: Importance of Early Detection and Management
Quality sleep is essential for energy, daily performance and long-term health. However, many adults struggle with poor sleep quality without realising the underlying cause. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common and often undiagnosed sleep disorder that can significantly impact your oral health and general health. Therefore, it is important to recognize early signs and seek appropriate care to improve sleep quality, daily functioning and long-term health outcomes.
What is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops or becomes restricted during sleep. These interruptions may last several seconds and can occur dozens to hundreds of times per night, contributing to poor sleep quality.
The most common form, obstructive sleep apnoea, OSA occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax, narrowing or blocking the airway. This leads to:
- Snoring due to vibration of relaxed airway
- Pauses in breathing
- Low oxygen levels
- Brief awakenings to resume breathing
Another less common form is central sleep apnoea, when the brain temporarily fails to send correct signals to muscles controlling breathing, causing disruptions in sleep.
Risk factors to Be Aware Of
Anyone can develop sleep apnoea, however, certain features or habits can increase the risk including:
- Family history of OSA
- Anatomical features (enlarged tonsils, adenoids or large tongue)
- Chronic nasal congestion
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Men and women post-menopause
- Excess weight or people with thick or larger neck circumference
- Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, PCOS etc
Understanding these factors helps guide early screening and patient education.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnoea
As the body is repeatedly deprived of oxygen and deep sleep, people with untreated sleep apnoea may experience:
- Loud or persistent snoring
- Mouth breathing or waking with dry mouth
- Pauses in breathing, gasping or choking during sleep
- Sleep deprivation, restless sleep or abnormal sleeping positions
- Irritability, mood swings or difficulty concentrating
- Morning headaches
- Daytime fatigue or excessive daytime sleepiness
- Mood changes such as irritability or low motivation
- Increased risks of health issues including hypertension, heart attack, arrhythmia and stroke, acid reflux or indigestion
Impact on Oral Health
These signs and symptoms often appear alongside dental findings such as:
- Dry mouth due to mouth breathing
- Teeth grinding (bruxism) as reflex to open airways
- Scalloped tongue
- Increased risk of tooth decay, chipped teeth, jaw pain and bad breath
- Higher risk of periodontal disease
Treatment Options: Finding What Works for You
Once obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is diagnosed, treatment is tailored to the severity of the condition and patient preference. Most people benefit from a combination of lifestyle changes, medical interventions and dental appliances.
CPAP Machine
- The most common treatment for moderate to severe OSA
- Involves wearing a mask over the nose, mouth, or both to deliver a steady flow of air that keeps the airway open throughout the night
Oral Appliances
- Suitable for mild to moderate OSA, especially for people who struggle to tolerate CPAP
- Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs): Fit over the upper and lower teeth to gently move the lower jaw and tongue forward, helping keep the airway open
- Tongue Stabilising Devices (TSDs): Use a suction mechanism to hold the tongue forward; recommended only in specific cases
To learn more about modern oral sleep appliances and how they can improve your sleep and overall wellbeing, visit the websites below.
3D Sleep provides Australian-made oral sleep appliances designed for comfort, durability, and effectiveness. Their appliances gently reposition the jaw to keep the airway open during sleep, helping reduce snoring and improve sleep quality — without the need for bulky equipment.
SomnoMed is a global innovator in oral appliance therapy for sleep apnoea. Known for their precision-fit, adjustable designs, SomnoMed appliances are engineered to maximise comfort while delivering reliable results. Their devices are supported by extensive clinical research and are trusted by healthcare professionals worldwide.
Discover more about these treatment options here:
Lifestyle Management
- Works best alongside other treatments
- May include weight loss, reducing alcohol intake, improving nasal airflow (e.g., with sprays), and managing stress
Together, these approaches can help improve airflow during sleep, reduce symptoms, and support more restorative rest.
Screening and Referrals: Role of Your Dental Team
Regular dental visits offer an important opportunity to identify early signs of sleep-disordered breathing. During appointments, we may:
- Assess signs such as dry mouth, bruxism, mouth breathing
- Ask about snoring, sleep quality and daytime fatigue
- Examine jaw, tongue and airway anatomy
- Discuss relevant medical history and risk factors
- Provide guidance and recommend referrals if needed (may include GPs, ENTs, sleep specialists, orofacial myologists etc) professionals for further testing and diagnosis.
Your next steps
Get in contact with us at Panania Dental Surgery if you or your partner notice signs of sleep apnoea such as snoring, grinding, mouth breathing or daytime fatigue. We offer airway screenings and can help identify risk factors early with personalised care plans to support better sleep, oral health and overall wellbeing.
151 Tower St Panania, NSW 2213
Call us on (02) 9773 9132
Email us at pananiadentalsurgery@gmail.com
