CPAP Dangers
Summary:
Problem: Dangers of CPAP Use Increase When Sleep Apnea Goes Without Proper Treatment
What you need to know: CPAP use can cause risks if you have sleep apnea that goes untreated.
Article:
Dangers of CPAP Use Increase When Sleep Apnea Goes Without Proper Treatment
There are many CPAP risks that one should be aware of if you ever face the diagnosis of sleep apnea. Plus, there are also many treatment options you have, outside of using a CPAP machine. While these machines have helped many with apnea get better, safer sleep, they are not the only option. For some, they are not even the best option. If you or someone you care about struggle with apnea, you need to make sure you have fully investigated your options for treatment.
The Top Three Most Common CPAP Dangers
For anyone that is unfamiliar with a CPAP machine, it is a machine that helps someone with sleep apnea breathe properly during the night. It keeps positive airway pressure going, making it to where the breathing passages do not collapse and interrupt breathing while you sleep. This is done by the person wearing a mask to sleep. Pressurized air is pushed through the mask and into the lungs of the recipient, thus allowing them to sleep.
The first of the CPAP dangers that comes with this type of machinery is the wearing of the mask. All of the dust, debris, and oil present on your face is constantly in contact with that mask. This can result in all types of irritation on your skin whenever the mask is worn.
Another danger of using a CPAP machine is chronic illnesses. Many people who rely on these breathing machines for sleep notice they get sick far more often than before they started with the machine. This includes problems like getting a sinus infection or strep throat, over and over. Even when you clean your machine and assorted items regularly, there can still be germs that live in your equipment.
One of the worst dangers of CPAP machinery is that when it is not cleaned out regularly, it can form mold or mildew within the machine and the tubes. That means, each time you turn on your CPAP machine, you could be inhaling these particles.
So, Is My CPAP Bad for Me?
The answer to this is a little bit up in the air. Your CPAP machine is something that you were told was necessary to survive. This makes it essential to proper survival. However, if you are not taking the CPAP machine apart and cleaning it, it could also be causing health problems. If you regularly take your machine apart and replace the tubing, this could bypass some of these dangers. The problem is, you are still exposed to the mask and could be making yourself sick.
What CPAP Alternatives Do You Have to Keep Yourself Safe?
Upon your diagnosis of sleep apnea, you were given information to keep yourself safe. Much of that information likely included opening up airways to help you breathe more easily at night. Naturally, your CPAP machine provided that benefit to you. However, when you found out about your CPAP machine, were you given other options? Many people do not know that there are alternatives to CPAP that could be healthier for them.
One of the top CPAP alternatives is an oral appliance that holds the teeth in a specific position when you sleep. What happens is you put this appliance in your mouth before you go to sleep, then you go to sleep like normal. As you sleep, your airway stays in a more open position, allowing you to breathe easier at night. This appliance is easy to put in and take out, take with you when you travel, and keep clean. This allows it to be a safe CPAP alternative for you.
On top of these benefits, it is also easy to get an inexpensive. With traditional CPAP machines, they can be difficult to get. Insurance companies are not always receptive to giving out expensive machinery, which could delay you getting one when first diagnosed. Plus, there are ongoing costs to run the machine each night. With an oral appliance, you can get it within a week or two of diagnosis from your dentist.
Getting an Oral Appliance to Help Treat Sleep Apnea
When you want to learn more about an oral appliance, the first place you go is to your dentist’s office. They are the ones who will create a mold of your mouth and design the appliance. What you need is to hold your mouth into a specific pose for a few minutes while the mold sets up. Then, you simply need to wait while the appliance is created in the lab. Once the appliance returns to the office, you will come in and get a proper fitting.
The dentist will check to make sure that your oral appliance fits properly and does not put any pressure on parts of your mouth. So long as you agree that the appliance fits properly, you can take it home and begin using it that night. If there are any adjustments that need to be made, this could delay the process. Otherwise, you can go home and put the appliance in when you go to sleep at night.
To maintain your oral appliance, all you have to do is brush it and clean it thoroughly each morning when you take it out. That avoids the CPAP risks mentioned above, and allows you to have a safe way to breathe each night. This way, you are treating your sleep apnea without the risks involved from a CPAP machine.
To Get a CPAP Oral Appliance, Call Jeffrey W. Cross, D.D.S., F.A.G.D
If you are ready to get a safe alternative to CPAP, contact the office of Jeffrey W. Cross, D.D.S., F.A.G.D. He is skilled and experienced with helping people get oral appliances that are safer than traditional CPAP machines. His staff can work with you to get the process going right away. They can do the mold, work with the lab, and get you your oral appliance in no time.
Call Jeffrey W. Cross, D.D.S., F.A.G.D today at (301) 662-0300, and find out about an oral appliance to help with your sleep apnea. Opt for a safe alternative so you can avoid the dangers of CPAP treatment.
Source: https://crossdentistry.com/cpap-dangers/
Other references:
https://crossdentistry.com/services/preventative-dentistry/
https://crossdentistry.com/services/restorative-dentistry/
https://crossdentistry.com/sleep-apnea-dentist-discusses-cpap-and-oral-appliance-treatments/
https://crossdentistry.com/services/general-dentistry/
News Source: Cross Dentistry of Frederick, Maryland, believes that a healthy body starts with a healthy smile. For over thirty years, we have been treating the general, cosmetic, and pediatric needs around the Frederick, MD area. Dr. Cross and Dr. Levine’s skills as a general dentist’s have earned him a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry, and our office hosts Dr. Robin Pollack – a periodontist – on a monthly basis. Whatever your dental need is, Dr. Cross and staff can do it and do it well.
