Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea, literally means “with‑out breath” in Greek. It is when breathing stops for 10 seconds or more while sleeping.

Signs of Sleep Apnea

  • Snoring that may disrupt the sleep of others.
  • Gasping, coughing or choking upon wakening
  • Waking with your heart racing
  • Waking up tired after a full night’s sleep
  • Waking up with a headache
  • Feeling very sleepy during the day
  • Falling asleep without intending to
  • Problems with memory or concentration
  • Feeling irritable, short-tempered
  • Weight gain, inability to lose weight
  • Acid Reflux in adults
  • ADHD and/or bed wetting  in children

Left untreated, sleep apnea increases the likelihood of illness or injury. It has been linked to obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even death.

Serious and life-threatening problems start when sleepers begin experiencing apneas (where breathing stops) and hypopneas (where breathing is shallow due to an obstruction). Breathing is usually blocked in the back of the throat when the tongue and muscles relax during sleep, the lower jaw falls back toward the throat, and the airway becomes blocked.

Sleep ApneaApneas can last from 10 seconds to a minute or longer and can occur hundreds of times per night.

The body’s oxygen level drops which in turn causes  blood pressure to rise. The heart is forced to beat faster, which increases the pulse rate. The brain may cause the arms, legs or whole body to jerk in an attempt to wake the sleeper to resume breathing. The silence may end with a loud snort, cough or gasp. This causes the sleeper to wake briefly and begin breathing. Once asleep again, the muscles relax etc. and the process repeats itself.

Logo 2 Roland G. Nentwich D.D.S in Shrewsbury Holden, MA

ROLAND G. NENTWICH

D.D.S.  M.S.  P.C.

October 2023

Due to unforeseen circumstances, our offices have immediately and permanently closed. 

It has been our joy and privilege to serve the Shrewsbury and Holden communities for over 25 years. 

Thank you to all our former patients and their families and our referring dentists.  We wish you and our local orthodontic colleagues all the best.

For current patients, although we are unable to continue to offer orthodontic care, please be assured that we are working tirelessly to help ease your transition to new providers.  If you have specific questions or issues, please email us at officeinfo@orthodonticsolution.com.  We are responding to messages as quickly as we are able.

Sincerely,

All of us at
Dr. Roland Nentwich DDS MS

506 Main Street
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
1084 Main Street
Holden, MA 01520