If you have any travel plans for the summer, whether because of work or for a family vacation, you’re looking forward to it, right? Well, if you have sleep apnea, the answer is probably a hard no.
That’s because many people with sleep apnea use a CPAP machine for treatment.
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with the CPAP option, anyone who uses it can admit that it’s not without its limitations. This is especially obvious to anyone who travels quite a bit. We’ll talk more about the reasons why later in today’s blog.
Whether you think you might have sleep apnea but haven’t been diagnosed yet, or whether you’ve been using a CPAP machine for a long time to treat your sleep apnea symptoms, you’re going to find today’s blog pretty helpful!
Our team at Rod Gleave, DMD wants you to know about an alternative treatment for your sleep apnea problems that may be small enough to fit in your pocket. If you suspect you might have sleep apnea and want to know for sure, call our Salt Lake City dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gleave!

Is Your CPAP Machine A Heavy Burden?
We should first make it clear that we’re criticizing the effectiveness of a CPAP machine as a method of treatment. Not at all, in fact!
For those of you who don’t know exactly what sleep apnea is, we’ll start by defining it. Sleep apnea is a condition where you stop breathing for several seconds while you sleep. Your body will jerk itself awake as a response to the lack of air, you start breathing again, and you drift back off to sleep.
This pattern continues all throughout the night for most sleep apnea patients, which makes a restful sleep impossible. You wake up feeling groggy and feel fatigued all during the day. A common symptom of sleep apnea is loud snoring each night. That’s usually what makes people think they might have sleep apnea in the first place.
The most common treatment for this condition is a CPAP machine, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure. It keeps air moving through your air passages while you sleep with the help of a mask that goes over your nose and mouth and a connected air hose. To keep it running, you will need to be near an electrical outlet so you can keep it plugged in. If you don’t have an electrical outlet near your bed, you could contact a company like MZ Electrical (who can be found at mzelectric.com) and have them install a new one. Alternatively, you could move your bed closer to an outlet.
A CPAP machine is highly effective. But it comes with its own set of shortcomings.
For one thing, it’s uncomfortable for many people. In fact, studies suggest that most sleep apnea patients who use it don’t even wear it consistently. It’s less than ideal to sleep with a mask on your face while being connected to an air hose that makes a whirring sound all night.
Another way a CPAP machine can limit you is that it’s kind of a hassle to travel with. There’s the issue of size and whether or not you can fit it easily into your suitcase or whether you might try a carry on bag.
You could go without it for a few nights, but then you have to weigh the pros and cons of not getting enough rest or the idea of keeping your travel companions up at night with your loud snoring. Neither option is a very attractive one!
You also might not have the kind of schedule that allows for a reliable means of keeping it powered through the night. You may not be able to know for sure if your accommodations will allow you to sleep near an outlet.

Breathe Easier With A Smaller Sleep Apnea Solution!
At Rod Gleave, DMD, there is an oral appliance that works well for people who prefer to sleep without the limitations of a CPAP machine. It’s called SomnoDent, and it’s a custom-fitted, adjustable appliance that moves your jaw into position to allow for easier breathing while you sleep.
It resembles a standard mouthguard, which means it’s the ideal size for traveling! You can use it with, or without, your CPAP machine depending on your treatment plan.

Make An Appointment In Salt Lake City!
Don’t let another business trip or family vacation be hindered by your CPAP machine. Make an appointment with Dr. Gleave today to find out if SomnoDent is your smaller solution for sleep apnea!
Call us at (801) 590-7947 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.