Do dentists treat snoring?
Does your spouse sleep in the guest room most nights? Do your children laugh at the noises you make while napping on the couch? Do you think “sawing logs” is harmless and your loved ones just need to get over it? If so, you may be surprised to know that snoring can actually be a mild breathing disorder that can progress to more serious breathing problems if not treated. Here’s another fact you may not know: your dentist can help you stop snoring. These are the facts about snoring and treatments that can put your nocturnal noises to rest.
Causes of Snoring
Snoring occurs when the soft tissues of the throat collapse or become obstructed. The following conditions can cause snoring:
- Obesity. Excessive body fat, especially in the neck, can cause a narrowing of the throat.
- Poor muscle tone. When the throat and tongue have insufficient muscle tone and become too relaxed, they can collapse and obstruct your airway. Muscle tone decreases with age, but substances such as alcohol and sleeping pills can also cause a relaxation of these muscles.
- Nasal problems. If you have allergies, sinus problems, or a deviated septum, your nasal passages can become blocked and force you to breathe through your mouth. This extra pressure on the throat can cause it to collapse.
- Enlarged soft tissues of the mouth. If you have a large uvula or soft palate, they can fall back into your throat and obstruct the airway.
Risks of Snoring
Even if your snoring doesn’t fully wake you during the night, it still interrupts your normal sleeping patterns and prevents you from going into the deep sleep state your body needs to feel rested. Over time, this lack of proper sleep will set you up for an array of daytime problems, including fatigue, which can lead to accidents. Snoring may also lead to sleep apnea, a serious breathing disorder that causes you to stop breathing for a period of a few seconds to a few minutes. When this happens, your body is deprived of oxygen and you are susceptible to developing many chronic health conditions, including heart disease.
Treatments for Snoring
A CPAP machine is the most commonly-prescribed treatment for snoring. It works by applying a breathing mask to your face that gently applies air pressure into your throat and prevents the tissues from collapsing. While effective, most patients find the CPAP uncomfortable. Another treatment—and one that Drs. Denes and Denes recommend most often—is an oral appliance that is worn at night to keep your jaws in the right position and your airway open. Oral appliances are very effective at relieving snoring, and most patients find them comfortable.