If you snore on a regular basis, this could interrupt the sleep of both you and your significant other. Chronic snoring could also be linked to a serious disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea. In today’s blog, your Grand Prairie, TX, dentist talks about our approach to treating snoring and sleep apnea, so you can enjoy a better night’s rest and feel more alert the next day. Don’t let a common issue like snoring impact your overall quality of life, talk to our team about a possible solution with our oral appliances!
The Causes of Snoring
Why do we snore? Well, the loud sound occurs when airflow is partially blocked. As air is forced through when you breathe, this vibrates soft tissues to create a loud, obnoxious sound. Factors that could increase your likelihood include sleeping on your back, excess alcohol before bed, obesity, and issues with the growth of your bite and oral structures. However, this could also be a warning sign of a serious issue known as obstructive sleep apnea.
The Link to Sleep Apnea
With sleep apnea, you actually stop breathing briefly multiple times a night. This is due to the total collapse of certain soft tissues in the back of the mouth and in the throat, which cuts off airflow. This interrupts your sleep cycle multiple times a night, even if you don’t recall this happening, and leaves you exhausted the next day. Over time, this could strain the immune and cardiovascular systems, and even lead to issues with memory and concentration. But we can offer relief with an oral appliance!
Oral Appliance Therapy
If we find out your snoring is linked to sleep apnea, then we will take detailed images and measurements of your bite, which we use to custom-fit an oral appliance. The device looks similar to a mouthguard, and is worn while you sleep. Once in place, this helps shift your jaw and tongue forward to prevent the collapse of soft tissues, so you breathe without interruption and wake up feeling more rested and refreshed. The device is easy to use and clean, and can travel with you too. This is often preferred by our patients over the traditional CPAP machine. You can also help by resting on your side, keeping your bedroom dark and cool, avoiding screens in the hour before bed, and avoiding excessive alcohol before bed too.
If you Have any questions about how our team will diagnose and treat issues like snoring and sleep apnea, then contact our team today to learn more. You deserve a good night’s rest, and we want to help.
Do You Have Any Questions About Sleep Dentistry?
The team at Pecan Tree Dental in Grand Prairie, TX, wants to help you enjoy a good night’s rest again, so you feel alert and refreshed each day and enjoy better overall health too. To schedule an appointment with our team, call us today at 972-262-5111. We can talk about symptoms and risk factors, and provide a detailed diagnosis too.
