Do you begin snoring the moment your head hits the pillow each night? Do you wake yourself up with how loud you snore on a daily basis? Does your partner have difficulty sleeping due to your snoring? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you likely have a snoring problem that is severe enough to be treated by a professional. Although snoring can seem like a normal condition that occurs while sleeping, it should be treated to ensure a better night’s sleep for improved rest and overall health.
What causes snoring?
Snoring can be caused by a blocked airway due to over-relaxed throat tissues which can drop to the back of your throat causing you to stop breathing altogether for a few seconds. Each time you stop breathing, your brain wakes you up briefly top restart your breath. This is also known as sleep apnea, which half of snorers suffer from. Although it may not seem serious, it can cause health issues, such as heart disease and diabetes, because it robs you of adequate rest and oxygen. Additionally, the constant nighttime awakenings can lead to sleep deprivation, putting you at risk for accidents and injuries.
Who can stop your snoring? Try your dentist
By scheduling an appointment with a Los Gatos sleep dentist, you’ll be able to find out what is possibly causing the snoring and what treatment options are available.
For some, it may mean undergoing oral appliance therapy, which includes using a custom mouthguard appliance while sleeping to prevent the tissue and tongue from obstructing the airway. For others, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines deliver pressurized air through a tube and mask that covers the nose ensuring your throat tissues don’t block the airflow.
For those who have more extreme cases of snoring, upper airway surgery is often a last-resort option when other treatments have been unsuccessful. Upper airway surgery often involves nasal surgery, surgery of the soft palate, tongue reduction surgery, and even a tracheostomy, based on the cause of the snoring. These types of surgeries have the highest success rate for snoring treatment options as they are often 95 to 100 percent successful for permanent results.
Do you snore? We want to know
If you have suffered from snoring or sleep apnea for several months and are considering seeing a professional for treatment options, feel free to share your story. You can also ask a question to learn more about the various treatment options available to begin finding the right solution to regain your rest back.
If you would like to learn more about how to stop snoring or sleep apnea, contact Top Down Dental today.
