Is your tongue putting you at risk of having Sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a potential health risk for many Australians. It is a common disorder in which the airways constrict during sleep, leading to repeated stops and starts in breathing. The tell-tale signs include chronic loud snoring, with periodic gasps and choking and, for many people, daytime drowsiness.

Studies suggest that those pauses in breathing due to this condition cause stress in the nervous system, elevate blood pressure and cause inflammation in the arteries.

A new American study by Dr Richard Schwab is the first study to show an association between tongue fat and sleep apnoea. The study found that the levels of fat deposits are increased in the tongues of obese patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea.

Study of 90 obese adults with sleep apnoea and 90 obese adults without the disorder found that the participants with sleep apnoea had significantly larger tongues, tongue fat and percentage of tongue fat than those without sleep apnoea.

Following this study, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggested that physicians check the tongue size of patients to evaluate their risk for obstructive sleep apnoea and indicated that effective identification and treatment of sleep apnoea is essential to optimally managing other conditions associated with this chronic disease, including high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and depression.

At Woollahra Dental Practice we are very focused on these issues!