If you or a loved one snores, it can be frustrating. We’ve heard of many snoring remedies desperate people have tried in the past. Perhaps you’ve tried to stop snoring by switching sleep positions, taping tennis balls on your back so you are forced to lay on your side. Or you’ve lost weight, avoided alcohol, and taken hot showers before bed to open your nasal passages. Or maybe you’ve even tried quick fix snoring remedies, like over-the-counter sprays or pills. But nothing seems to work…is there a snoring mouth guard that can help?
Let’s backtrack a little. Besides the noise involved, snoring may be part of a bigger and more dangerous problem: sleep apnea. With this disease, people stop breathing from 10 seconds to 2 minutes as many as 50 times an hour or more when sleeping. Many people refuse to seek treatment—especially with so many snoring remedies they haven’t tried yet. Or people may refuse treatment because of denial—I don’t snore that bad, do I? Or they are unaware of the dangers of sleep apnea. [https://www.ortho-tmj.com/dangers-of-sleep-apnea/]. One big deterrent for many is the idea of a CPAP—they do not want to be hooked up to a machine at night for treatment. But what if a snoring mouth guard was available that could stop snoring altogether?
The good news is, a snoring mouth guard does exist. It isn’t called that when using proper medical terminology, though—it is officially called an “oral appliance.” How does an oral appliance work? Sleep apnea is caused when the airway is blocked by the tongue. These devices work like mouth guards and gently help to keep the jaw and tongue in position so the airway can stay open. In 2006, the American Academy of Sleep medicine confirmed that oral appliances are the first treatment option for mild to moderate sleep apnea.
How do I get one of these “snoring mouth guards”?
Just like with any medical treatment, you start with proper diagnosis. A great first step is to visit our office for an initial free consultation. We can talk about your snoring, you can ask questions, and we can recommend next steps for a course of treatment. Usually, you will then do a sleep study. This can be done at a hospital or private sleep clinic, or we can set you up with a home sleep study.
What’s involved in a home sleep study?
You simply have to wear a sleep study device for one night of sleep. Then, the results are sent to a sleep specialist who can determine whether you have sleep apnea and whether it is mild, moderate or severe. If you are an appropriate candidate for an oral appliance, we can get the process started and get you on your way to your “snoring mouth guard.” If your apnea is more severe, we can point you in the right direction for seeking further treatment.
What is the process if I do need an oral appliance?
If you are a candidate for an oral appliance, we work with you to determine which type is right for you. We make sure you have a comfortable fit, and show you how it works. Then you use it! When you believe it is working and your sleep is more restful (or your bed partner says you have stopped snoring), we conduct a followup home sleep study. We make adjustments, if any are needed, based on those results. If no sleep apnea is reported, you get to enjoy the benefits of snore-free sleeping! We then confirm effectiveness again 6 months later, and after that, an annual appointment is all that is needed.
Finally, you may have found the snoring remedy you’ve been looking for. If you have a snoring problem and you are in the London, Ontario area, set up a free consultation today to see if an oral appliance is right for you!
