Snoring is that one thing we wish we never do, and that we hope our significant other never suffers from. While often simply an annoyance, snoring is indicative of a problem with breathing through the nose, and at varying intensities can become a serious impediment to a good night’s sleep.
Thankfully, modern medical knowledge has devised several solutions to snoring. Ranging from simple personal practices to implants and devices, snoring can become a thing of the past.
Below are several tips and methods to stop snoring, including a couple that can be addressed by a dentist. Do you have a problem snoring? Give us a call at 65836111 today and see how we can help you get a better night’s sleep!
1. Behavioral Change
One thing that causes snoring is our sleep and consumption patterns. Identifying these behaviors that cause snoring can make the path to a better night’s sleep a relatively quick and easy process.
For instance, drinking alcohol before bed can cause one to snore. Moderating the amount of alcohol you consume, as well as the timing of consumption—try not to drink right before going to bed—can lead to a better night’s sleep.
Changing your sleep position is also often a cure for snoring. Sleeping on your back causes the tongue and soft palate collapse to the back of your throat, leading to a blocking of the air passage and a vibration of these parts of the mouth while you breath. Sleeping on your side, or using a full body pillow, are easy ways to avoid this obstruction.
2. Sleeping Pills – Drop ‘em!
Sometimes we need to take sleeping pills or other sedatives to get to sleep. But, the chemicals found in these sleep remedies relax the tongue and palate muscles, leading to a blocking of the air passages.
While it can be difficult to stop taking these medications, there are ways you can lower the need for them. Keeping away from phone screens, and making sure you don’t watch television right before going to sleep, are great ways to make falling asleep easier.
Taking up a meditation routine right before bed, or reading, are great ways to relax the mind, making falling asleep easier.
3. Oral Appliance Therapy
If the above techniques do not work, you might suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition which affects approximately 75 percent of people who snore.
OSA is a condition where breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep. When breathing stops, the air passages close completely for a short period of time. When your lungs need air again, they’ll reopen those passages forcefully, causing you to snore.
In this case, a dentist can help. Oral appliance therapy is an approach to snoring cessation where a specific device is implanted in the mouth during sleep to ensure the air passages stay open.
One of the most effective oral appliances for this is Somnodent. Custom-fitted to your mouth—they can be designed to work if you have missing teeth, crowns, or full upper dentures—Somnodent moves the lower jaw into a comfortable position to allow for the relaxation of your mouth muscles, thus opening up your airwaves.
With a consultation from your dentist, you can find out if Somnodent, or some other oral appliance therapy device, is right for you.
4. CPAP
Though generally an invasive technique, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are a “last resort” to stop snoring. These devices are fitted to the mouth and push air through the airwaves.
As your mouth muscles feel the air coming through, the pressure causes them to open up, thus reversing the main cause of snoring.
Yet, these devices are often uncomfortable to wear, so it is highly suggested to try other methods before resorting to CPAP.
Give us a call today to learn more about options to help you or your loved one stop snoring. 65836111
Author; Dr Jeremy Rourke, B.D.S. Hons. Syd Univ. Dental Surgeon
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My name is Jeremy Rourke. I’m part of a family of dentists with my father, brother, cousin and nephew also being dentists. I won a University of Sydney Dental Alumni prize for being the top student in my year and graduated with Honours in 1971. I have been a Registered dentist for over 40 years. In that time I have created a few “firsts” in my efforts to stay ahead.