Worried about snoring? You are among the roughly 90 million Americans who experience this common sleep issue. Regular snoring is not only about the sound; it can disturb your partner’s sleep and slowly chip away at your own physical and mental health. Sometimes, it may also hint at more serious conditions like sleep apnea.
The terrific news is it’s treatable. Dr. George Ghaly, DDS at Sleep Better Metrowest in Marlborough, MA, has successfully used oral appliance therapy for over a decade to help thousands of patients eliminate even the most chronic snoring. Oral appliance therapy is where you get a custom-made device designed to fit your mouth perfectly and worn while sleeping. It’s a simple, non-surgical way to ensure you and those around you can sleep peacefully every night.
Snoring occurs when airflow through your mouth and nose is partially obstructed during sleep. When you sleep, the muscles in your throat, tongue, and the roof of your mouth (soft palate) relax. This is a normal part of the sleep cycle. As these muscles loosen up, your airway narrows.
For some people, the airway becomes so narrow that the throat walls vibrate. The vibration of these tissues as air flows over them produces the sound we recognize as snoring. The narrower your airway becomes, the more forceful the airflow gets. This increases tissue vibration, which causes the snoring sound to be louder.
Several factors contribute to snoring:
A low, thick, soft palate can constrict your airway. Similarly, enlarged tonsils or adenoids can drastically reduce oxygen flow, exacerbating snoring.
Sleeping on your back can cause your tongue and soft tissues to drop to the back of your mouth, blocking the airway.
Excess fatty tissue and poor muscle tone, particularly around the neck, can contribute to snoring.
Alcohol loosens the throat muscles; drinking close to bedtime can make snoring worse.
Smoking irritates the mucous membranes, causing nasal congestion and swelling of the throat tissues. This can also make you snore.
As you age, your throat naturally becomes thinner, and the muscle tone decreases, also known to cause snoring.
Chronic nasal congestion or a deviated septum (a misalignment of the wall that separates both sides of the nose) can cause you to breathe through your mouth during sleep, increasing the likelihood of snoring.
You might be more likely to snore for a few reasons: men are generally more prone to snoring than women, and certain medications can trigger snoring for a bit. And while not every case of snoring is linked to a sleep disorder, it can sometimes signal sleep apnea.
If your snoring is loud enough to be noticeable, it might point to sleep apnea, which affects your sleep by causing your breathing to stop and start unexpectedly. Other symptoms that come with sleep apnea include:
If you have several of these symptoms and loud and frequent snoring, please immediately consult your primary care provider. They can evaluate your symptoms more closely and recommend a sleep study to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea.
At Sleep Better Metrowest, we rely on a sleep study – whether conducted at home or in a sleep lab – to understand your condition fully and to develop an effective oral appliance treatment plan.
Snoring can disrupt your sleep, whether tied to sleep apnea or not. To help you find relief, Sleep Better Metrowest offers oral appliance therapy – a method Dr. Ghaly has fine-tuned for over a decade for maximum efficacy and comfort.
Depending on your specific dental structure, you will be prescribed an appliance that either:
As you can see, there are several ways in which a physical obstruction can make you snore. The oral appliance made by Dr. Ghaly for you will be based on the specific anatomy of your airway (and the severity of your OSA, if diagnosed). Most patients see the no-snoring results the first night after wearing their prescription appliance.
Please note that it is important for the oral appliance to be custom-fitted by a qualified dentist like Dr. Ghaly, who works with sleep apnea treatment. A personalized fit minimizes discomfort and potential side effects; using an over-the-counter, similar-looking retainer can unnecessarily change your bite alignment and leave you with immense jaw pain.
Something is wrong if you or someone you love snores loudly during sleep. It could indicate sleep apnea or other sleep disorders that should not go unaddressed. Remember, your sleep is closely linked with your overall well-being.
Sleep Better MetroWest | 201 Boston Post Rd W, Suite 405, Marlborough, MA 01752 | (508) 366-1855
Proudly Serving Marlborough, Northborough, Westborough, Berlin, Hudson, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Framingham, Holliston, Grafton, Upton, Ashland, Acton, Natick, Wayland, Sudbury, Hopkinton, Boylston, West Boylston, Sutton, Dudley, Charlton, Auburn, Leicester, Dudley, Sturbridge, Gardner, Leominster, Charlton, Oxford, Sutton, Millbury, Holden
Copyright © 2024 Sleep Better Metrowest | Privacy Policy
