How do you get sleep apnea?

Video Overview

Hi, my name is Dr. Dane Kinghorn. I'm a general dentist practicing dentistry at Belgrade Dental Associates. We have been serving the Gallatin Valley for ten years now. How do you get sleep apnea? A person that is suffering from sleep apnea is actually experiencing a blockage of the airway. This can be a partial or a full blockage. When the person lays down the sleep, the tongue and posterior tissues of the throat will actually collapse and either partially or fully block the airway. There are persons that will experience full blockage for 60 seconds or longer at times. Without the proper flow of oxygen, the body cannot function properly and you will start to experience symptoms such as weight gain, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, things of this nature.