M.Y. Dental Spa offers caring, compassionate, and comprehensive dental care for patients in the Midtown Manhattan area. The dental team at this general and cosmetic dentistry practice has a strong commitment to ensuring that all patients receive the care they need for a beautiful smile while feeling as comfortable and relaxed as possible. The team at M.Y. Dental Spa offers more than 20 years of experience in dentistry, along with pain-free dental care and a welcoming environment. Haute Beauty expert Dr. Mimi Yeung discusses the effects sleep apnea can have on your overall health and physical appearance.

Photo Credit: ShutterstockHaute Beauty: We all know that sleep apnea can be very uncomfortable to deal with, but there are also a lot of lesser-known negative effects. Can you talk about what these negative effects are?

Most may not be aware that sleep apnea, is basically disrupted sleep during the course of your nightly rest. If you don’t get enough sleep, you can get tired during the day, making you irritable, and feeling brain fog. Treating your sleep disorder can improve your concentration, job performance, and overall vitality.

HB: How common is sleep apnea? How many people should be concerned with improving their sleep quality, overall health, physical appearance, and life quality in general, by resolving their untreated sleep apnea?

We should all be aware of and concerned with improving our quality of sleep. In general, sleep affects our general health, avoids potential chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, increase cholesterol and blood pressure, and a general feeling of tiredness throughout the day. The quality of life diminishes when you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, even the appearance of bags under your eyes, and slouching of your posture.

Photo Credit: ShutterstockHB: What are the methods of counteracting and resolving sleep apnea, and which do you find to be the most effective?

Most people with sleep disorders will have a bed partner that is aware of the condition, but if you are not sure, there are ways of accession. Sleep clinics or take sleep tests in the comfort of your own bed. For some people who suffer from severe obstructive sleep apnea, a CPAP is the best treatment. That said, treatment is only efficacious with your willingness to comply with the treatment, speak to your sleep Dr. or a dentist about alternative treatment such as a precision oral appliance to get more information.

HB: What does having sleep apnea tell you about someone’s overall health? Is it genetic, purely by chance, or can it be indicative of deeper-rooted issues?

Apnea can be brought on by a myriad of things that are happening to your life. Situations like increase daily stress level, weight gain, enlarged tonsils, deviated nasal septum can all contribute to sleep apnea. There is no direct link between sleep apnea and genetics.

HB: Does sleep apnea increase one’s risk for other health issues?

There is not a direct correlation between sleep apnea and death, however, many health professionals studying sleep medicine suspect that the chronic stress on your heart attributes to the obstruction of your breathing during sleep. My suspicion is that heart failure is a very likely result of chronic untreated OSA.