If your snoring – or your partner’s snoring – is affecting your life, it’s time to do something about it. Jerry Massimei, D.D.S., A.P.C., is a dentist who specializes in providing gentle, experienced dental care to residents in Chula Vista, Eastlake and Bonita, California, and runs his own practice, Jerry Massimei Dentistry. Here, he talks about how snore guards can really make a difference.
Snoring affects millions of people of all ages, both male and female. Oral appliance therapy is the most common treatment for the most severe snoring problems. Treatment procedures range from changing your sleep patterns to using orthodontic-related appliances that help open the airways during sleep.
Another factor of snore guards is the annoyance to the partner of the person who is suffering from it. The sound of a partner snoring can prevent the other one from getting a good night’s sleep. And when this builds over time, it can cause friction in a relationship.
What is a Snore Guard?
A snore guard is an appliance that is placed in the mouth used to reposition the mandible, or the lower jaw, in a forward position. It is made out of a rubbery kind of material. Like anything else, having something placed in the mouth during night takes getting used to. But due to its benefits, it is more than worthwhile getting in the habit of wearing it.
Here are some reasons people snore:
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Health problems, including hypothyroidism
- Obesity
- Sleep Apnea. This is a deprivation of oxygen to the brain during sleep. This is mainly due to the flaccid condition of the soft palate which partly closes off the breathing passage when the patient is lying on their back asleep, which reduces the air flow.
- Allergies
- Daytime fatigue
- Poor muscle tone in the tongue
Snore guards usually help alleviate the majority of problems associated with snoring. There is also surgery of the soft tissues, which can cure snoring. Most dentists do not perform that, that would be done by an ENT, or ear nose and throat specialist, or a maxillo-facial surgeon.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
