If you snore a lot, the impact it can have on your health and wellbeing depends on several different factors. For example, how often and how deeply you snore could determine whether your habit can have an impact on your overall cardiovascular health. In some cases, it might also be an indication of something much more serious than a habit, such as obstructive sleep apnea. What’s common in most cases, however, is the fact that snoring does have an impact when it occurs repeatedly. To find out if it’s just a habit or a sign of something more severe, talk to your dentist about your snoring or sleep apnea.
A look at chronic snoring
Snoring is the kind of thing that doesn’t have a definitive cause. It might result from certain oral tissues clogging your airway, or from a malformed airway passage that makes breathing more difficult when you sleep. It might be a temporary result of being excessively tired or inebriated when you go to bed, or it might be a sign that you have an abnormality in your oral tissues. If it happens consistently, then the cause of your snoring may be something that requires professional treatment, such as with a custom appliance to keep your airway open while you sleep.
When it means you have sleep apnea
One of the conditions chronic snoring can indicate is obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. Sleep apnea is a common sleep breathing disorder that involves an obstruction in your airway while you sleep. It’s usually caused by mouth and/or throat tissues collapsing into the airway, which cause you to snore louder as they clog up more of the space. If you have sleep apnea, this obstruction won’t stop until you can no longer breathe at all. The snoring will stop, as well, until your body and brain are forced to clear your airway so you can start breathing again.
Finding a solution to sleep better
Because both snoring and sleep apnea can be caused by a partial or complete airway obstruction (respectively), many patients who suffer from either condition can find relief with a comfortable, custom-designed sleep appliance. It can be designed specifically to address your sleep breathing disorder by supporting your lower jaw in a more comfortable position. This helps maximize the space in your airway as well as prevent tissues from collapsing into or clogging it.
Treat your snoring or sleep apnea
Whether you have a chronic snoring condition or suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, we may be able to help you address your sleep troubles comfortably with a custom appliance. To learn more, schedule a visit by calling Syosset Dental in Syosset, NY, today at 516-433-2211 or 516-921-1678.
