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Snoring or interrupted sleep may signal a serious condition

osa-mouthingoff-imagecropThis content is sponsored and does not necessarily reflect the views of ASDA.

Forty percent of adults over 40 snore – half of them every night; and while for most of these individuals snoring may be nothing more than a social inconvenience, for more than 18 million Americans it may be a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a potentially life-threatening condition.

If left untreated, men and women suffering from OSA are:

  • 7 times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash
  • 10 times more likely to suffer a heart attack in their sleep
  • 20 times more likely to have high blood pressure
  • 8 times more likely to suffer a stroke

OSA may also increase the risk of diabetes and academic underachievement in children.

Despite the risks associated with OSA, once diagnosed the condition may be successfully treated through the use of oral appliances, medical devices such as a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine or corrective jaw surgery.

The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons is committed to educating the public about the risks associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Individuals who snore regularly and those who are concerned about someone who snores are urged to visit an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who is a member of a sleep medicine team for an evaluation.

By asking patients who snore to check for the symptoms of OSA, you are helping us educate the public about the risk factors associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and the importance of an evaluation by a sleep medicine team. To learn more about what causes OSA and how it can be treated, visit MyOMS.org.

~AAOMS, MyOMS.org

AAOMS

The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), the professional organization representing more than 9,000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, supports its members’ ability to practice their specialty through education, research, and advocacy.

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