PATIENT EDUCATION

Snoring is the vibration and sound made when your throat relaxes while sleeping. When you breathe during sleep, the relaxed throat tissue vibrate resulting in different levels of sound.

Why do I snore?

There can be one or more contributing factors that will cause snoring or make snoring worse.  Below are some common reasons you may be snoring.

Weight gain can cause snoring.  The extra weight of the tissue can put pressure on the airway.  If you lay on your back while sleeping, gravity can cause these heavier tissure in the neck to fall back in your throat which makes it difficult to pass air therefore, the tissues vibrate to get past the heavier tisssue.

Alcohol can cause snoring.  Alcohol is a relaxant and the relaxing actions of alcohol also affects the muscles of the throat.  The relaxed muscles in the back of the throat then ccause the vibrating effects known as snoring.

Posture can cause snoring. Incorrect posture while sleeping may cause pressures to be applied to the airway tissues causing the effects of snoring. Many times you will find snoring is reduced when you sleep laying on your side.  The reason for this is that the tissues are not pulled completely into the back of the throat by gravity the way they would be if you were sleeping completely on your back.

Age can cause snoring. As you age, all of your muscles tend to lose strentgh including the muscles and tissues of your throat.  The lack of muscle tone can cause the tissue in the throat to relax so much that air has difficulty flowing around the tissue which causes the vibrations known as snoring.

Sleep Apnea can cause snoring.  Sleep apnea is a term to describe a serious breathing problem while sleeping.  More about sleep apnea will be described below.

How do I know if I snore?

Most often someone who sleeps next to you will advise you if you are snoring because you will be affecting their sleep ability as well.  If you sleep alon, and you find yourself waking up several times a noght or never feel rested, you may be snoring and may need the help of a sleep study to determine the reasons and degree of snoring you are experiencing. 

How can I quit snoring?

First, you should try to reduce any causitive factors that may be contributing to your snoring.  Losing weight and stopping the intake of alcohol, especially before bed are two things you can do immediately.  Sometimes you may still need the help of a proffessional.  When your sleeping partner no longer can sleep in the same room as you because of your snoring, it is time to do something about your condition.

Many devices are on the market to help people with snoring and sleep apnea.  Most are small oral appliances worn at night but sometimes they can included bulky, uncomfortable and loud devices such as cpap machines.

What solutions are offered for snoring at White Orchid Dental?

To treat the effects of snoring, impressions are taken of your top and bottom teeth. A custom appliance is then designed for you to wear at night.  The appliance works by maintining the position of your lower jaw, just slightly forward which helps keep the tissues from falling into the back of your throat.  This helps you enjoy a restful nights sleep as well as restful nights sleep your sleeping partner.

There are many appliances on the market.  They all are trying to act by moving your lower jaw just slightly forward but they are not all made the same and different problems have occurred with different appliances. We have tried many different appliance at White Orchid Dental. We feel the best appliance is a sleep apnea / snoring appliance made by SomnoMed and is called SomnoSnore.   There are no rubber bands, there are no thin pieces of plastic that can break.  Please look at the somnomed website and review all the benefits of the SomnoSnore snoring device.  Call the smile care experts at White Orchid Dental and schedule a snoring device consultation so you can begin to enjoy the great feelings of a restful night of sleep.

Please visit  SomnoSnore at http://www.somnomed.com.au/Patients_and_Families/Snoring/SomnoSnore.aspx

What solutions are offered for sleep apnea at White Orchid Dental?

To treat the effects of sleep apnea, impressions are taken of your top and bottom teeth. A custom appliance is then designed for you to wear at night.  The appliance works by maintining the position of your lower jaw, just slightly forward which helps keep the tissues from falling into the back of your throat.  Keeping the tissues of your throat from blocking your airway prevents sleep apnea. This helps battle the dangerous effects of sleep apnea and the associated symptom of snoring. Ultimately, you will enjoy a restful nights sleep as well as your sleeping partner.

There are many appliances on the market.  They all are trying to act by moving your lower jaw  forward which maintains an open airway while sleeping but they are not all made the same and different problems have occurred with different appliances. We have tried many different appliance at White Orchid Dental. We feel the best appliance is a sleep apnea appliance made by SomnoMed and is called SomnoDent. This appliance has the ability to be adjust gradually until you find success in not snoring.  There are no rubber bands, there are no thin pieces of plastic that can break.  Please look at the SomnoDent website and review all the benefits of the SomnoDent sleep apnea device.  Call the smile care experts at White Orchid Dental and schedule a sleep apnea device consultation so you can begin to maintain an open airway while sleeping as well as enjoy the great feelings of a restful night of sleep. 

Please visit  http://www.somnomed.com.au/Patients_and_Families/Sleep_Apnea_/SomnoDent.aspx