Patients in and near Mission Viejo ask a respected dentist about sleep disordered breathing

As a dentist who is committed to improving the quality of patients’ lives in and near Mission Viejo, Dr. Mark Cruz takes dentistry a step further. In addition to diagnosing and treating conditions and diseases that affect the mouth, teeth, and gums, he can identify the risk factors for sleep disordered breathing conditions including:

• Snoring – One of the first signs a patient may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea is snoring, which is breathing noisily during sleep due to the vibrations of unsupported tissues in the airway. Causes of snoring include obstructed nasal airways and poor muscle tone in the throat and tongue. A long soft palate or long uvula can narrow the opening from the nose to the throat, which causes these structures to vibrate and bump against each other. This leads to an obstructed airway.
• Upper airway resistance syndrome – When snoring and resistance through the airway is significant enough to disrupt the quality of sleep, it is called upper airway resistance syndrome. Patients who suffer from this condition have difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep. They are often excessively sleepy during the day and may wake up with dry mouths and headaches.
• Obstructive sleep apnea – This condition affects millions of people. Obstructive sleep apnea involves short periods during which breathing stops throughout the night. With obstructive sleep apnea, the body is not receiving sufficient air supply while sleeping, which can result in waking up with a headache. Difficulty concentrating and excessive tiredness during the day as well as not feeling refreshed after waking up are signs of obstructive sleep apnea.

Do you want to learn more about sleep disordered breathing? Dr. Cruz co-developed the “Multi-Disciplinary Airway Collaborative” to provide a forum for doctors of various disciplines to share research and information about the human airway as well as facial development. The real-time conversations are recorded and available on Dr. Cruz’s website at https://www.markacruzdds.com/patient-education/.

Dr. Cruz would love to talk with you about sleep concerns. Located in Dana Point, he serves patients in Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, and many other areas. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cruz, call (949) 661-1006.