FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Contact:
CRANIOFACIAL PAIN ASSOCIATES OF OKLAHOMA
Liz Bennie 405-321-8030
lbennie@tmj-pain.com

ACSDD Contact:
Saaum Chim 215-832-0182
saaum.chim@acsdd.org

September is National Aging Month

Risk of Sleep Apnea Dramatically Rises Over Age 50

Local Dentist, Robert L. Talley, DDS, Offers Screenings, Treatment

September 14, 2004 – Norman, OK – In honor of National Aging Month, Dr. Robert L. Talley is offering free screenings for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to any persons over 50 years of age.

According to both the National Institutes of Health and the American Academy of Family Practice, the rates of OSA and other airway-related sleep disorders are 2-4 times higher after the age of fifty (50).

OSA is associated with cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, heart disease and stroke. It can cause cognitive impairment and affect metabolism; recent studies called on doctors to consider OSA as a major risk factor for hypertension. OSA is also associated with daytime tiredness, headache, memory loss, mood changes, relationship disturbances and decreased personal effectiveness. Snoring is considered a major indicator of OSA and risk factors include age, weight gain, and family history.

Dr. Talley is one of the only professionals in the community certified in Sleep Disorders Dentistry by the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Dentistry.

“Dentists are ideally positioned as the first-line of defense against the potentially devastating cardiovascular, neurologic and interpersonal consequences of this disorder,” said Dr. Talley. “As health professionals who evaluate the airway of every patient we see, dentists offer patients a unique opportunity to get screened and into care.”

The Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Dentistry trains, supports and certifies dentists who wish to identify, diagnose and manage OSA using a rigorous comprehensive clinical protocol; dentists provide screening and specialized assessment of the airway and offer FDA-approved dental appliances as a treatment option.

For dental screening for sleep disorders, or more information, contact Craniofacial Pain Associates of Oklahoma (ph: 405/321-8030, fax: 405/321-2108) or visit www.tmj-pain.com.

More information about Sleep Disorders Dentistry can be found at www.acsdd.org.