Snoring is quite common, yet it’s often misunderstood. Snoring affects millions of people around the world, and it affects not just the people who snore but also the others around them. It can range from soft noises to loud snorts that wake up everyone in the household.
There are several options to help people stop snoring, including mouthguards and Solea Sleep therapy. Let’s examine the possible causes of snoring, how a mouthguard helps with snoring, and another potential option for you if a mouthguard doesn’t work.
What Causes Snoring?
When you fall asleep and move from light to deep sleep, your muscles relax, including the muscles in your mouth, tongue, and throat. If the muscles in your throat relax too much, they can partially block your airway, causing vibrations.
The more your airway is blocked, the more forceful your breathing becomes, causing the vibration to become worse. The worse the vibration is, the louder your snoring will be.
Many different things can make you snore, from allergies and colds to alcohol consumption or your sleeping position. Here are some of the conditions that cause snoring:
- Mouth Anatomy: A low, thick soft palate, extra tissues from being overweight, or if your uvula (the tissue hanging in the back of your mouth) is elongated can all partially block your airway, causing you to snore.
- Alcohol Consumption: As many of us know, alcohol relaxes, including our muscles. Drinking alcohol before going to bed can relax your throat muscles enough to inhibit your natural reaction against airway obstruction, causing you to snore.
- Nasal Problems: Nasal congestion or a deviated septum (a crooked partition inside your nose) can also cause snoring.
- Sleep Deprivation: If you don’t get enough sleep, you tend to go into deep sleep sooner. This causes your throat muscles to relax faster, which can cause snoring.
- Sleep Position: When you sleep on your back, your muscles are more likely to partially obstruct your airway as they relax, causing you to snore.
How a Mouthguard Helps with Snoring
If you’ve tried nose strips and they don’t help, you should ask your dentist about treatment options. For some people, wearing a mouthguard at night helps keep their airways clear so they don’t snore. There are two main options for snoring appliances: MADs and TRDs. Though they do take some getting used to, most people get a better night’s sleep once they grow accustomed to using them.
Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs)
MADs are the most common form of anti-snoring mouthguard available. They are molded to fit your teeth and adjusted to pull your lower jaw slightly forward, which can help reduce snoring.
Tongue Retaining or Stabilizing Device
TRDs (or TSDs) are similar to MADs, but instead of adjusting your jaw position, TRDs hold your tongue in place. The mouthguard is made with a small piece that uses suction to hold your tongue and prevent it from relaxing back into your throat while you sleep.
Solea Sleep: An Adjunct Solution
Another option to help with snoring is Solea Sleep Therapy. This procedure is simple and it only takes a few minutes. Our dentists use the Solea laser at a low-frequency wavelength to tighten the soft palate tissues. This helps reduce the vibrations in your throat that cause snoring, and treatment can last up to a year.
Solea Sleep and Snoring Mouthguards in South Jordan
Snoring doesn’t just affect you. It affects your loved ones, too. Luckily, there are several options available to you to reduce your snoring at night. Whether you want to try an anti-snoring mouthguard or Solea Sleep, we’ve got you covered.
At Copper Creek Dental, we offer snoring appliances and Solea Sleep. Our dentists will be able to guide you through both treatment options to determine which one is right for you. And if you choose to try a mouthguard first and don’t like it, you can always contact us to schedule an appointment for the Solea Sleep procedure.
Contact Copper Creek Dental to schedule a consultation today so you (and your family) can start sleeping more comfortably.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (11/25/2024) Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay