Seeking treatments for Snoring?
Melbourne Dental Sleep Clinic Can Help
Do you suffer from snoring? Melbourne Dental Sleep Clinic is here to help you (and your partner) get a good night’s sleep.
Snoring
Snoring can be a troublesome complaint and while it is often joked about, the noise can keep anyone sleeping nearby awake. It can also be difficult if other friends and family are in the next room.
Most people regard snoring as a social problem so they are often surprised to learn that snoring can impact their overall health and well-being. Did you know for example that frequent snorers may suffer from:
- Day time fatigue
- Nagging headaches throughout the morning
- Sleepiness
- Inability to concentrate
- Weight gain
all because of poor sleep. People who snore often grind their teeth while they’re asleep too.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when you are unable to move air freely through your nose and throat as you sleep. This makes the surrounding soft tissues and muscles in your throat vibrate. As your airways become more narrow, so your snoring gets louder. The position of your tongue can also interfere with your breathing.
What Causes Snoring
Snoring occurs when you are unable to move air freely through your nose and throat as you sleep. This makes the surrounding soft tissues and muscles in your throat vibrate. As your airways become more narrow, so your snoring gets louder. The position of your tongue can also interfere with your breathing.
Is Snoring Common?
Snoring is extremely common, and it’s estimated that around 20% of the population snores at night. More men snore than women with around 25% of males prone to snoring. It occurs in all age groups but is more prevalent in middle-aged people and those who are overweight.
Is Snoring Serious?
Snoring disturbs sleep patterns and can deprive you and your partner of sleep. This makes it harder to function during the day and in the long term, can lead to sleep deprivation and fatigue.
Moreover, snoring can be an indication that you have underlying medical conditions such as UARS (Upper Airways Resistance Syndrome) or OSA (obstructive sleep apnoea). The latter is associated with high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that snoring itself could be a contributing factor to high blood pressure and increases your risk of a stroke or heart attack. So, as you can see, snoring is a condition which can’t and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Snoring May Lead to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
If you or a loved one currently snores, there is a greater risk of developing OSA if your snoring is not treated. As a person ages their airways become weaker, which eventually could lead to their airways collapsing as they sleep.
Other Causes of Snoring
Snoring is more likely when you have a cold, or your nose is blocked for some other reason. It’s also more common if you sleep on your back as this can cause the tongue to fall backwards, blocking the airway. Frequent snorers, however, tend to have certain traits which include:
Obesity
Overweight people often have extra bulk around their necks caused by additional fatty deposits in their throat, which can block the airways.
Mouth Breathing
This too may cause snoring because soft tissues at the back of the mouth droop more than at the back of the nose
Drugs and Alcohol
Drinking alcohol or taking sleeping tablets can also lead to snoring as the tongue and throat muscles relax, go floppy, and vibrate. Smokers are also more likely to snore than a person who does not smoke.
Snoring Treatment in Melbourne
Here at Melbourne Dental Sleep Clinic, our team lead by Dr Damian Teo are highly experienced in treating the causes of snoring using dental techniques. One very effective way to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea is with oral appliance therapy.
Oral appliances utilise a series of splints and mouthguards to open up the airway and to aid sleep.
One particularly effective device we use to treat snoring is a dental splint also known as a Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS). The patient wears it at night, just like a mouthguard worn to protect your teeth from teeth grinding. It also has the added advantage of holding your bottom jaw forward, thus opening your airway to help you breathe.
Our MAS is manufactured from the latest 3D nylon using CAD/CAM technology which is less bulky and stronger than similar devices made from acrylic. It helps prevent snoring by moving the bottom jaw forward to open up the airway which in turn prevents the soft tissues at the back of the throat from vibrating.
But why bother treating snoring?
There are several reasons to treat your snoring with our dental devices. These include the following reasons:
- To improve the quality and duration of your sleep (and that of your partner)
- Prevent risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious medical conditions
- Dental devices are very easy to use and because of their size can accompany you on your travels
- Snoring can be a symptom of a more serious medical condition – sleep apnoea, so it’s always advisable to seek treatment before a condition causes long-term damage
Other Methods to Manage Snoring
Other ways to manage or control snoring include a few lifestyle modifications:
- If you snore because you are overweight, try to eat more sensibly and take up some exercise. Even moderate weight loss can reduce or stop your snoring
- Sleep on your side rather than your back
- Prop or support your neck with a supportive pillow
- Nasal sprays/decongestants to clear your nose to stop mouth breathing
- Do not drink alcohol for a couple of hours before going to bed
- Quit smoking
Other Methods to Manage Snoring.
Other ways to manage or control snoring include a few lifestyle modifications:
- If you snore because you are overweight, try to eat more sensibly and take up some exercise. Even moderate weight loss can reduce or stop your snoring
- Sleep on your side rather than your back
- Prop or support your neck with a supportive pillow
- Nasal sprays/decongestants to clear your nose to stop mouth breathing
- Do not drink alcohol for a couple of hours before going to bed
- Quit smoking
If your relationship and health are suffering because of snoring, Melbourne Dental Sleep Clinic can help. Don’t take unnecessary risks with your health, instead, please contact us today to book a consultation.