Obstructive sleep apnea has long been linked to stroke risk but it is surprisingly common among silent stroke sufferers. A silent stroke is one that has no visible or outward symptoms and most people don’t even realize they have experienced a stroke. These strokes are typically discovered during a brain scan but are a serious risk. Silent strokes can cause permanent damage to the brain, especially those areas that govern thought, mood and memory — they can also be a risk factor for future major stroke.

Researchers from University of Alabama and Germany’s University of Technology Dresden worked together to investigate this phenomenon. They found that sleep apnea was present in 91% of stroke patients evaluated. Severe sleep apnea was present in 58% of patients who had a silent stroke and sleep apnea was a strong predictor for silent stroke overall.

Researchers don’t know whether the sleep apnea is causing the strokes or whether people who have had strokes are more likely to develop sleep apnea. Screening for possible sleep apnea should be a part of every medical and dental checkup.

Why should a dentist screen for sleep apnea? Because the soft tissues of the mouth and upper throat are what collapse during sleep and cause the stoppage of breath there are obvious oral clues that a dentist trained in dental sleep medicine can spot. At StoneRidge Dental Care Dr. Mark Levy screens all of his patients for this serious sleep breathing disorder. Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea includes using an oral appliance to keep the airway open instead of sleeping with a CPAP machines.

For more information about obstructive sleep apnea and oral appliance therapy please contact our Gahanna, OH office today at 614-476-6696.