Should I Worry About My Snoring?

Is Snoring Serious?

When you snore, it may keep your wife or husband, kids, and maybe even the dog awake at night. Additionally, you may dread trips with friends or coworkers where you will be sharing a room. Yes, snoring is embarrassing and annoying, but could it be worse than just that?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is yes. Snoring may be an indication of several health concerns. Often, it is a symptom of sleep apnea, a medical condition that negatively impacts your breathing.

There are two kinds of sleep apnea to be aware of: Central and Obstructive.

Obstructive is the more common kind. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in your throat relax and block part of your airway.

Central sleep apnea is less common, but the more serious. Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain fails to signal to the muscles that control your breathing.

Both sleep apnea and snoring can be a result of other, more serious, health problems. These health problems include:

- Stroke
- Heart Disease
- GERD (Acid Reflux)
- Irregular heartbeat
- Excessive weight gain

The severity of your snoring does not matter; loud or quiet, it could be a sign of something much worse than just snoring. If you are a snorer, there is hope. We suggest first consulting a physician or sleep therapist.

We welcome you to contact us at 330-769-4470 to schedule a visit with Dr. Landry and the friendly Landry Family Dentistry Team! Our new state-of-the-art facility in Seville is conveniently located minutes from Medina and Wadsworth, as well as Westfield Center, Lodi, Chippewa Lake, and Creston.

Why Do We Develop More Cavities As We Age?

Tooth Decay

One of the greatest protectors against cavities is saliva. The reason for this, is saliva helps to neutralize the acids in our mouths. Our salivary glands are located in our cheeks and under our tongues. These glands make two different kinds of saliva: serous and mucoid. Serous saliva is the more wet and watery of your saliva and your mucoid saliva is thick and sticky. Our serous saliva is the important one when considering cavities and oral health.

Unfortunately, as we age, fatty tissue is stored in our serous salivary glands. This means that the area of our mouth that used to create saliva is now being replaced with fat. As a result of this, we start to suffer from dry mouth (xerostomia). Dry mouth means that we are not producing enough saliva, and we have more acids in our mouth than bases. As a result of this imbalance, we start to develop more cavities.

There are other things that can also cause dry mouth for us as we age. These things include side effects to medication and radiation treatment. Many common medications that we use when age are to treat hypertension, heart problems, arthritis, and others. Unfortunately, a side effect of many of these medications is diminished salivary gland production. Additionally, radiation treatment decreases cell multiplication including the cells that make up your salivary glands.

As we grow old, our body goes through many changes that impact our health. Because of this, Dr. Landry in Seville, OH suggests that you continue to see your dentist at least twice per year. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Landry please call us at 330-769-4470 or use our online form.