If you could snap your fingers and magically stop snoring, you would have done it by now. Every night, right as you drift off to sleep, your partner elbows you in the side or pushes you over because you’ve started to “saw logs.” While this is annoying, it’s less heartbreaking than when you wake up by yourself because they’ve escaped to the couch. You’ve talked (and fought) about your snoring for months now…something has to change.
Fortunately for both of you, a relatively quick, effective, and easy solution is available at a place you might not expect…the dentist.
Before We Talk About the Solution…
…it helps to better understand the problem.
Snoring is the result of air rushing past the soft tissues of the throat and causing them to vibrate. It can occur for a variety of anatomical and lifestyle reasons (tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and certain medications make it more likely), plus it’s one of the telltale symptoms of sleep apnea.
Whatever the source, snoring indicates that someone is not breathing properly while they sleep, which can interrupt their rest as well as anyone near them (as you probably already know!).
How a Dentist Can Help
Yes, the internet is filled with countless pages talking about how quitting smoking and losing weight can help with snoring, but they say it like those are easy tasks. They aren’t, and even with full dedication on your part, they may take months before they help with your snoring.
While these lifestyle changes are certainly worthy pursuits, a dentist can help faster using a custom oral appliance. This is a small mouthpiece a person wears to bed, and it slightly adjusts the position of the jaw to ensure the airway stays open and clear. The result? A snore-free night and great sleep for you and your partner!
Getting Started with Sleep Dentistry
If you’re interested in getting a sleep appliance, your first step should be scheduling an appointment with a sleep dentist. Generic snoring appliances online tend to cause more problems than they solve, so it’s always better to invest in a device made just for you.
At your initial appointment, the sleep dentist will examine your mouth and airway, and they may recommend a sleep test if you possibly have sleep apnea. Thankfully, you’ll usually get results back within a week or two. After that, creating the appliance just involves taking a digital impression, having your initial fitting, and then enjoying night after night of uninterrupted sleep for years to come.
About the Author
Dr. James Moreau earned his dental degree at the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry and has regularly continued his education in many specialties, like sleep medicine, cranio-mandibular orthopedics, and oral surgery. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. If you (and your entire household) need help with snoring, you can request an appointment through our website or call (985)809-7645.