Does your spouse complain of your loud snoring at night? If so, you could be suffering from sleep apnea without knowing. According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 18 million adults in the US are impacted by this serious disorder. In fact, sleep apnea is considered one of the most underdiagnosed disorders in the United States. When left untreated, the cost of treating other health problems due to snoring can skyrocket your medical bills significantly every year.
Snoring or sleep apnea is a chronic condition that occurs when the soft tissues and muscles in your mouth and throat relax, thus causing repeated sleep interruptions throughout the night. It occurs when something obstructs your airways while you sleep. If you have sleep apnea disorder, your breathing starts and stops several times every night. This interruption in breathing can last anywhere from 10 seconds or longer, and occur as frequently as 20 or more times every hour as you sleep. This post will help you to know how a snoring guard from the dentist can help offer relief for sleep apnea or snoring disorder problems.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring is the harsh or hoarse sound that occurs when your air flows past the relaxed tissues in your throat, making your tissues vibrate as you breathe. Nearly everyone snores at one point or another, but to some people, it can be a chronic condition.
Various factors can cause snoring, such as the anatomy of the sinuses and mouth, allergies, your weight, a cold, and alcohol consumption. When you inhale, you push air through your mouth, throat, and nose. If your airway is obstructed-including adenoids, soft palate, tongue, and tonsils-vibrate against each other as you continue to force air through. Such vibrations make a rattling, rumbling noise.
Several factors and conditions can obstruct your airflow. These includes:
- Alcohol consumption: Snoring could be attributed to consuming excessive alcohol before going to bed. Alcohol relaxes your throat muscles and reduces your natural defense against airway restriction/obstruction.
- Sleep deprivation: Not getting sufficient sleep can cause your throat to relax more thus causing snoring.
- Nasal Problems: Chronic nasal congestion can cause snoring problems.
- The anatomy of your mouth: obese people may have extra tissues on the back of their throats that might narrow their airways. Similarly, if the triangular tissues which hangs from the soft palate are elongated, airflow can be restricted and vibrations increased.
How Can a Dentist Help with Snoring Prevention?
If you think that your dentist can only treat your teeth, think again. So, if you suspect that you have severe teeth grinding, snoring, or sleep apnea, you can visit your dentist for snore prevention solutions and advice.
By looking at the conditions of your teeth, throat, and mouth, together with comprehensive discussions with you and your family as well as a sleep test, a dentist can collect more details on your risks of sleep apnea or snoring.
For instance, your dentist will know if you grind your teeth at night, which is something your brain helps you do in trying to open the airways. Your dentist can practice sleep medications, which focus on the utilization of oral appliances to sleep apnea and snoring problems.
To help determine the suitable snoring treatment, the dentist will have to undergo a sleep study. This study will assist your dentist to develop an optimum snoring treatment plan for you.
Treatment for snoring or sleep apnea is to utilize the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine. However, for patients and snorers who cannot tolerate using the machine, your dentist will provide an alternative solution.
Worn during sleep, the custom dental positioning appliance can be likened to a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer. It pushes your lower jaw forward and restricts the airway from closing so that you reduce snoring and breathe comfortably.
According to research studies, more than 90% of patients recorded an improvement in their sleep quality after wearing this snoring appliance.
Your dentist can also use mandibular repositioning devices- which will reposition your lower jaw forward and downward slightly to maintain your airway open while you sleep; these are oral appliances used to treat snoring or sleep apnea. Tongue retaining devices places your tongue in place so that it doesn’t obstruct your airway.
There are numerous treatments used to prevent or stop sleep apnea, including painful, expensive dental surgeries or other unsafe procedures. Luckily for you, Dr. William Fitzgerald can help prevent sleep apnea using a snoring appliance dental known as SilentNite. This is a snoring prevention device that’s comfortable, flexible, and affordable. It is a device specially designed to maximize airway passage and help you in breathing optimally so that you can enjoy a restful night.
The most effective way to find out what kind of treatment you need is to schedule an appointment with your Murfreesboro dentist, who may recommend you for a sleep study if she/he suspects that you suffer from snoring or sleep apnea condition.
Contact a Snore Prevention Specialist in Murfreesboro TN
Snoring, especially at night can be disruptive and annoying. It can also be a sign of an underlying health problem. If your snoring persists longer than a few nights or is very loud, kindly talk to your dentist. Long-term sleep apnea or snoring can cause serious health problems. You can take proactive steps to minimize snoring by remaining active and healthy. Ask your dentist about the best possible snore prevention and treatment strategies to assist you to breathe comfortably, feeling more relaxed, and sleeping better.
If you want more information about snoring guards from dentists and other solutions and procedures, schedule an appointment with Dr. Fitzgerald for more details today.
