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Do you often find yourself too drowsy while driving? Every year “Drowsy driving” is the cause of more than 100,000 vehicle accidents. What most people don’t realize is, a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea is often the culprit.  It’s estimated that sleep apnea affects over 30 million Americans. Millions more don’t even realize that they are affected by this sleep disorder until other problems arise like snoring, cognitive impairments, headaches, and fatigue. This common sleep disorder is characterized by lapses in breathing as you sleep which cause the sufferer to wake up. Some episodes can be so brief that most people don’t even remember them. But while these “microsleeps” last only a few seconds at most, they can still cause drowsiness throughout the day.

Sleep Apnea and Driver Fatigue

Some research estimates about 20% of fatal traffic accidents in the U.S. involve a drowsy driver. Warning signs you might be too tired to drive include:

  • Excessive yawning
  • The inability to keep your eyes open
  • Trouble keeping your head up
  • Drifting out of your lane of traffic

You might also notice that you’re getting more than your usual share of other drives honking their horns at you.

Alarmingly, microsleeps can also occur when you’re driving. These microsleeps might only last between one and three seconds, but they can have catastrophic consequences. Although microsleeps last only seconds, those are seconds all too long and precious when you are behind the wheel of a vehicle. The bottom line is, leaving this disorder undiagnosed not only causes poor sleep, but it puts drivers at risk of causing accidents and injuries to themselves and others.

Beating Drowsy Driving

Treatments for sleep apnea often include various types of invasive surgery or the use of a CPAP machine. A device you keep on your nightstand that pushes air through your lungs at night to ensure continuous breathing. Fortunately, there are excellent non-surgical alternatives available, including some a dentist can prescribe. At Kanehl Dental Group, we offer a proven treatment for the three major types of sleep apnea, including:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
  • Central sleep apnea (CSA)
  • Complex sleep apnea syndrome (CSAS), also known as mixed sleep apnea or treatment-emergent central sleep apnea

Dental appliances like oral bite splints are an excellent sleep apnea treatment proven to be safe and effective for many patients. Bite splints are often more comfortable and convenient than other non-surgical solutions such as CPAP machines. This non-invasive device improves the body’s airway, so breathing is easier while sleeping. Oral bite splints are created by creating models of a patient’s teeth and utilizing information about their bite. Once this information has been gathered, the models are placed into a simulator, and the splint is fabricated. After fabrication, the patient tries on the splint to make sure it fits comfortably. After that, they are ready to get a good night’s rest.

If you think you have sleep apnea or often experience drowsiness when you drive, contact Kanehl Dental Group today to book a consultation. We want to help you get the good night’s sleep you deserve—and keep you safe while on the road!