Snoring mouth pieces may provide relief for snorers including those suffering from mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Specifically designed mouth pieces known as mandibular advancement splints are worn in the mouth while sleep and help prevent the back of the tongue from blocking one's airway and causing snoring.
Snoring may be caused directly by obesity, neurological based sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, nasal congestion or another medical issue. Snoring and sleep disturbance snoring is more likely to disturb the snorer's partner than the snorer. Chronic snoring may be related to allergies, illness, formation of the mouth and obstructive sleep apnea. In many cases, a snoring mouthpiece is designed to help reduce the volume and level of snoring if not eradicating it altogether. Mouthpieces are typically recommended by a physician, dentist or a sleep specialist.
Dental Support
A stop snoring mouthpiece may be purchased online or through a dentist or medical doctor. The specialized mouth piece will be made based on a mold taken directly from the patient's mouth. These mouthpieces are significantly more expensive, up to $3000. However, they are guaranteed to fit a patient's mouth perfectly. Prior to investing in a drugstore, online store or dental purchase, persons, who snore loudly or chronically enough to disturb their partner's sleep or their own, should consult with a physician. Snoring may be indicative of a more serious medical problem such as obstructive sleep apnea.
A anti-snoring mouth piece can improve sleep quality for the person using it. If the lower jaw is positioned slightly forward, the user's tongue will be repositioned to no longer block his or her airway.
That is one reason why if you snore your doctor would recommend you sleep on your stomach or side. Gravity will have a greater effect of causing the back of your tongue and other soft tissue to block your airway if you sleep on your back.
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
Diagnosing sleep apnea requires a sleep study performed at a licensed facility. It is important to remember that not all snorers suffer from sleep apnea. A patient will be admitted for an overnight stay. Trained sleep specialists will attach leads to the temple, chest, legs and feet. A heart rate and oxygen monitor will be attached to the finger. The patient will then sleep in a comfortably darkened room, cooled to the temperature requested and a humidifier will be used to keep the air moistened. While the patient sleeps, the specialist will observe via camera and monitors for episodes of gasping, choking and sleep wave patterns. The leg leads will indicate the amount of leg movement. Blood oxygen levels will be monitored in order to determine if O2 saturation is dropping due to the episodes. At the end of the night, the sleep specialists will be able to offer the diagnosis of sleep apnea and typically the type. Further testing and recommendations will provide the patient with a course of treatment. There have been positive results of people who suffer from obstructive sleep apea using a anti-snoring mouthpiece to reduce or eliminate their symptoms because the true cause of their obstruction, which is blockage of their airway by their tongue and other soft tissue is treated with such a device.