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If you snore, you know it can be an annoying disruption during an otherwise good night’s sleep. For many of us, changing sleep positions, on our own, or thanks to a loved one’s gentle prompting—or unhappy elbow—takes care of the problem. But snoring can be a symptom of a potentially serious medical condition. Let’s take a quick course in sleep apnea.

Is It Snoring or Sleep Apnea?

Both snoring and sleep apnea result from obstructions in your airway as you breathe during sleep. Soft tissues relax in the throat area, partially blocking the airway, and vibrate with the passage of air. This vibration causes that distinctive snoring sound. But sleep apnea is more than just noise caused by vibrating tissue.

The word “apnea” is derived from the Greek word for “breathless.” If you suffer from sleep apnea, you actually stop breathing during sleep for a brief time, often choking or gasping for breath. Your body responds by waking every time you need to start breathing properly again, and this can happen dozens of times each hour you are asleep. While you may think you have slept through the night, you have never gotten the deep sleep your body needs to restore itself.

What Are Some of the Consequences of Sleep Apnea?

You’re probably well aware of the nighttime miseries of sleep apnea. But this condition can also impair your health and quality of life during the day. Sleep apnea sufferers often experience:

• Constant drowsiness
• Falling asleep at work or while driving
• Morning headaches
• Sore throat
• Dry mouth (which can lead to gum and dental problems)
• Memory and attention problems
• Moodiness or depression
• Decreased libido

As if these reasons weren’t cause enough to find a solution to your sleeping disorder, the longer term results of sleep apnea can be devastating. Many serious conditions and consequences have been linked to sleep apnea, including:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Dangerous reactions to medication
• Problems with general anesthesia
• A higher risk of accidents

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs in three forms:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This is the most common form of sleep apnea. It can be the result of the muscles in the back of the throat relaxing during sleep to obstruct the airway. Obstruction can also be caused by a physical condition such as a deviated septum, excess throat tissue or enlarged tonsils.

• Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain failing to transmit the proper signals to breathe during sleep. The sleeper either stops breathing, or takes such shallow breaths that he or she can’t get enough air into the lungs.

• Complex Sleep Apnea

This condition is a mix of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

What Kind of Treatments Are Available?

Many treatments, ranging from behavior modification to surgery, have proven successful in providing patient’s with a better night’s sleep.

• Behavior modification—Losing weight, abstaining from alcohol, even changing your sleep position can be effective in mild cases.
• Oral appliances—These specially-fitted devices, which resemble mouthguards, can advance the jaw or hold the tongue forward to maximize airway space as you sleep.
• Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) machines—For those with moderate to severe sleep apnea, PAP machines, which provide pressurized air through a tube attached to a mask, deliver a gentle flow of air to keep airways open.
• Surgery—There are several different surgical procedures used to treat obstructive sleep apnea, depending on the cause and location of the obstruction.

These and other options might be recommended based on the reasons for and severity of your sleep apnea. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon like Dr. Theodotou is uniquely qualified to provide an expert diagnosis of your condition and to recommend the most effective treatment for your sleep apnea, whether surgical or non-surgical.

Why an Oral Surgeon?

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are dental specialists. They pursue a minimum of four years of additional advanced studies in a hospital-based residency program, where they train with medical residents in the fields of general surgery, anesthesiology, internal medicine, and other specialties with a specific focus on the bones, muscles, nerves, and skin of the face, mouth, and jaw.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have the skill and experience to diagnose the often complex causes of sleep apnea, based on a careful analysis of each individual patient’s unique throat, nose, and jaw structures, airway flow patterns, and potential breathing obstructions as the air moves from nose to lungs.

After taking your medical history and performing a careful examination of your head and neck, Dr. Theodotou might recommend a sleep study where your sleep patterns will be monitored and evaluated. If a sleep disorder is diagnosed, you and your surgeon can decide on the best course of treatment.

Now that you’re up on the basics of Sleep Apnea 101, if you suspect that you might be suffering from sleep apnea, make an appointment at our Pooler office. It’s time to graduate to a restful, healthy night’s sleep!

If wisdom tooth extraction is on your calendar, it’s a good idea to visit your grocery store ahead of time to stock up on smart diet options for post-surgery meals. It might be a few weeks before you heal completely, so we have some shopping list suggestions which are safe, soothing, and nutritious to get you through your recovery.

Smart Choices

Soft, Smooth, and Creamy

• Soft-serve ice cream
• Frozen yogurt
• Yogurt
• Pudding

Now is a good time to indulge yourself, and ice cream, yogurt, and pudding are easy on sensitive tissue and filled with protein, calcium, and vitamin D. Just remember—choose soft flavors with no crunchy, sticky, or chewy additions.  This means no cones, as well. Most important? Nothing with a straw. Suction can cause the dislodgement of the protective clot over your extraction site. And dislodgement of this protective cover can lead to a painful condition known as dry socket.

Sometimes we recommend a wait on milk products immediately after surgery due to anesthesia, medication, or other considerations—we’ll let you know if that’s the case, and when you can safely enjoy dairy products.

Comfort(able) Foods

• Broth
• Pureed soups
• Applesauce
• Gelatin desserts
• Clear liquids

Foods that don’t require much chewing won’t irritate tender mouth and gum tissue. You can also find a wide variety of flavors to tempt your palate. Choose broths with higher concentrations of protein, and soups which provide minerals and vitamins. Nothing too hot, though—heat can affect the protective clot over the wound site. Applesauce is not only soothing and flavorful, but is a good source of fiber and vitamin C. Gelatin desserts and clear liquids will help you keep hydrated, which is extremely important as you heal.

Blender-Friendly Creations

• Smoothies
• Pureed foods

Want to get creative in the kitchen? Create your own smoothies and purees to suit your individual taste! Blended foods are easy to eat, and you can add vitamins with your choice of fruits and vegetables and proteins or protein powder for nutritional value. (Sip or eat smoothies with a spoon, as straws are still off-limits.)

You can gradually add semi-solid foods such as mashed potatoes, oatmeal, cottage cheese, and scrambled eggs as you recover. Don’t worry—we’ll give you aftercare instructions that will include what you should be eating and drinking right after surgery, and what you can add to your diet as you heal.

Unwise Diet Selections

It wouldn’t be sensible to leave you without some idea of which foods to avoid for the next few weeks. Talk to us about how and when to re-introduce these items to your diet.

• Grainy, seedy, or crunchy foods, which become tiny particles as you chew, can lodge in the surgical site.
• Spicy, carbonated, and acidic foods can irritate delicate gum tissue.
• Sticky and chewy foods can be hard on the extraction side.
• Hot beverages can interfere with the protective clot that forms over the wound.
• Alcohol can interact with medications and, according to several studies, potentially slow healing.
• Anything that requires a straw. Any kind of suction risks dislodging the protective clot at the surgical site. Eat your milkshake with a spoon—it’s still delicious!—and absolutely no cigarettes.

And one final word to the wise: seeing Dr. Theodotou for wisdom teeth extraction and follow-up is an excellent idea!

Oral surgeons like Dr. Theodotou have a minimum of four years of advanced studies in a hospital-based residency program, where they train with medical residents in the fields of general surgery, anesthesiology, internal medicine, and other specialties with a specific focus on the anatomy of the face, mouth, and jaw. They are uniquely qualified to make sure your wisdom tooth extraction and healing are successful.

If you have any questions about the procedure, and what you can do at home to help the healing process, give our Pooler office a call. We want to help you make the wisest choices for diet, pain relief, wound care, and all of your other aftercare needs.

Labor Day honors the contributions that workers have made to this country, and for many Americans, the holiday is a great time to relax at home with family and friends. But there are quite a few people who celebrate the holiday by getting out of town, with an estimated 33 million people traveling more than 50 miles over Labor Day weekend each year. If you’re dreaming of a great Labor Day escape but you’re not quite sure where to go, here are a few ideas from our team at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Coastal Georgia to give you some travel inspiration.

Explore a National Park

On a national holiday like Labor Day, it’s only fitting to experience the beauty of America’s landscapes by heading to the nearest national park. If you’re confined to an office most days of the year, national parks can provide a relaxing and scenic escape, whether you’re by yourself, traveling with a group of friends, or bringing the whole family along. Depending on how close you live to the nearest park, you can stay for an afternoon or for longer than a week. With 58 parks located in 27 states, there are plenty of beautiful areas to choose from.

Chow Down in a BBQ Haven

Barbecuing is a popular Labor Day activity, but instead of sweating over your own grill or oven, try visiting one of the country’s BBQ capitals. U.S. News and World Report names Memphis as the top BBQ destination, with more than 80 BBQ restaurants in the city, most notably Corky’s BBQ and Central BBQ. Kansas City is also known for the sweet taste of its sauces, while central Texas is said to have perfected the technique of smoking tender and flavorful brisket.

Relax on the Beach

Many people think of Labor Day as the unofficial start of fall, which brings cooler temperatures, more rain, and for many people, an end to lazy days at the beach. End your beach days with a bang by taking a trip to one of the coasts or to a lakeside beach. For an added dose of festivity, find a city or town that celebrates the occasion with a fireworks display over the water.

Whether you’re looking to turn your getaway into a full week affair or you simply want to experience a quick escape, make the most of your holiday by changing your surrounding scenery. Happy Labor Day from the Oral Surgeon practice of Dr. Theodotou!

Oral surgery can be intimidating, especially if you show any signs of an infection afterwards. Dr. Theodotou and our team want you to be informed about what to watch for after you’ve undergone surgery.

Oral surgery procedures are intended to reduce pain and prevent infection. Sometimes complications occur after your surgery, and if infection ensues, it will require swift medical attention.

People undergo oral surgery for many reasons, such as:

• Impacted or infected teeth
• Tooth loss, jaw problems
• Facial injuries or infections
• Birth defects
• Sleep apnea

Symptoms of Infection

• Pain that won’t go away with medication
• Steadily swelling of gums, jaw, or face
• Redness or oozing of pus from the area
• Fever that doesn't subside
• Difficulty opening the mouth or jaw
• Excessive bleeding for 24 hours
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing (emergency situation)

After the initial surgery, don’t become worried right away if you notice any of these symptoms. It’s normal to show some blood and swelling after surgery, but that should stop fairly soon with the help of gauze and medication.

You will most likely be numb from the procedure and we will advise you to avoid hard foods for the first day. Pain medication will be administered, and you should take it before you begin to notice pain. A cold compress can also help with swelling and initial pain.

You will be advised not to brush your teeth in the region where the surgery occurred. You may use a prescription mouth rinse, or you can gargle with warm salt water to reduce the swelling. If you follow these directions, you can speed the healing process for a quick recovery.

Don’t fret: a post-surgery infection is not a common development. It happens most often to people who have a compromised immune system or diabetes. Let Dr. Theodotou know beforehand if you have either of these and we may prescribe an antibiotic to help prevent the spread of infection in the areas of your mouth that get worked on.

If you think you may be experiencing complications after a surgery, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Pooler office for advice.