If you or your spouse is a snorer, it will likely come as no surprise that snoring is more than a simple annoyance. Snoring is the harsh sound that occurs when your breathing is obstructed in some way while you're sleeping. It occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breath. To cope with snoring, most of us try over-the-counter band-aids, sprays and ear plugs, and pass our days in a state of utter exhaustion. Over time, the lack of sleep caused by our or our partner's snoring impacts our day to day well being. More concerning, however, is that snoring impacts our overall health and can even be a symptom of a life threatening condition.
It's estimated that 80 million Americans snore and as many as half of adults snore at least occasionally. Often, snoring is no greater a problem than the annoying noise itself. It can be caused by the anatomy of your mouth, being overweight, consuming alcohol, experiencing nasal congestion and other factors. In these cases, your snoring can often be treated with a special oral appliance fitted to you by your dentist. For millions of Americans however, snoring is actually related to a potentially life threatening condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). People who suffer from OSA repeatedly and unknowingly stop breathing during the night due to a complete or partial obstruction of their airway. An apnea occurs when the jaw, throat, and tongue muscles relax, blocking the airway used to breathe. The resulting lack of oxygen can last for a minute or longer, and can occur hundreds of times each night.
Thankfully, most people wake when a complete or partial obstruction occurs. But, OSA can be potentially life threatening, and has been linked to a host of health problems including, acid reflux, frequent nighttime urination,memory loss, stroke, depression, chronic pain, diabetes and heart attack. Since the disorder occurs while a person is asleep, it is hard to diagnose. If you think you are suffering from this sleep disorder, it is important that you seek medical advice immediately.
An analysis by your Dentist can help determine if your snoring is a mild condition that impacts your quality and quantity of sleep, or if it is a possible symptom of sleep apnea. He or she will first recommend sleep studies in coordination with a local sleep clinic. These sleep studies are crucial for identifying and evaluating the symptoms of sleep apnea and are the only way to actually diagnose sleep apnea. With the results of sleep studies in hand, a treatment plan is developed in conjunction with the sleep clinic. Sleep apnea is often treated with, oral devices, breathing devices, and, in extreme cases, surgery. Medicines typically aren't used to treat the condition.
Patients with sleep apnea are often initially provided a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine as the first line of treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). However, many patients cannot tolerate the inconvenience of wearing a CPAP mask all night. Oral device therapy is another effective course of treatment which may be recommended by your medical professional. FDA recommended nighttime oral devices are custom-fitted by your dentist to keep the airway from collapsing. The devices allow you to breathe easily and continuously throughout the night. A follow-up sleep study should be repeated from time to time to demonstrate the effectiveness of any treatment.
So, don't wait another long, loud, sleepless night. Your life depends on it!
