How is your airway?
Hello my dear friend,
Here at Beeing Well we had the opportunity to meet and listen to Dr. Troy Walton DDS talk to us about our airways being compromised, and options other than CPAP to keep you breathing and oxygenated all night long.
This is part one. I have made an appointment to have a consultation and I will report on that after that happens. His dental and airway practice is in Providence.
The rest of this email comes from Dr Walton.
Have a wonderful week and breathe well while you sleep!
Do you have difficulty sleeping, worn and crowded teeth, or experience pain in the neck? A common factor of these symptoms may be a compromised airway.
What is a compromised airway? Breathing through your mouth. When one breathes through their mouth, there is a low tongue posture which creates a cascade of events that is detrimental to our health. RightToGrow.org put together an informative video that gives a great explanation of these events: All About Orthodontic Headgear
Without proper facial development, our ability to sleep well is compromised. Sleep is so important for our health and wellness. Please watch the explanation of neuroscientist Matthew Walker about the importance of sleep: What Happens To Your Body And Brain If You Don’t Get Sleep | The Human Body
If you have sleeping concerns and wonder how you can find out if you have a problem such as obstruction sleep apnea, fill out the Epworth Sleepiness Scale below. This scale has been scientifically associated with high validity to sleep disordered breathing.
Our goal at Redwood Dental is to help improve your airway by establishing nasal breathing night and day, obtaining and maintaining a correct tongue posture, swallowing correctly, and developing facial structures. To learn more go to vivoslife.com.
Epworth Sleepiness Scale
How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the situations described below, in contrast to feeling just tired?
Even if you have not done some of these things in the last month, try to imagine how they would have affected you.
Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation:
0 – Would never doze
1 – Slight chance of dozing
2 – Moderate chance of dozing
3 – High chance of dozing
It is important that you answer each question as best as you can.
Situation Chance of dozing (out of 3)
Sitting and reading ______________
Sitting and watching TV or a video _____________
Sitting inactive in a public space (like a theater or a meeting) _____________
Sitting and riding in a car or bus for an hour without a break _____________
Lying down to rest or nap in the afternoon _____________
Sitting and talking to someone _____________
Sitting quietly by yourself after lunch without alcohol _____________
In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic _____________
Total out of 24 _____________
Score Interpretation: (1-10) Normal Range (10–15) Excessively sleepy, consider seeking medical attention (16-24) Abnormally sleepy, seek medical attention