Around 45 percent of adults snore occasionally. Some snore when they are overtired, and some snore when they have had too much to drink. Approximately 25 percent of adults snore regularly, which often disturbs their partner and even people sleeping in nearby rooms. Snoring is also a sign of sleep apnea, which is a potentially dangerous condition.
If your snoring in Grand Rapids, MI, is affecting your family's ability to sleep, Dr. Robert Dame of North Park Family Dental may be able to help.
What Causes Snoring?
When your pallet's soft tissue and your throat vibrate, it causes you to snore. The most common causes of snoring include:
Your anatomy: The anatomy of your mouth could be the reason you are snoring. If you have a low, thick pallet, it can narrow your airway, causing you to snore. Snoring is also common if your uvula is too long.
Obesity: Your weight plays a role in snoring. If you are overweight, you could have an extra lining in the back of your throat that can narrow your airway.
Alcohol: If you consume too much alcohol before going to bed, you are likely to snore. The alcohol relaxes your throat muscles and prevents your natural defense against airway obstruction.
Nasal issues: Certain nasal problems can cause you to snore, such as a chronic stuffy nose or a deviated septum.
Sleep position: The way you sleep can cause you to snore. If you often sleep on your back, gravity will narrow your throat and airway, causing you to snore.
Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous condition that causes you to regularly stop breathing while you sleep and often causes loud snoring.
How Can I Stop Snoring?
If your snoring is affecting those around you, treatment options are available. Many people try nose strips designed to prevent snoring; however, these products don't always work. If the strips don't help, you will still snore at night and will wake up in the morning with the glue from the strip stuck to your nose.
Your dentist can provide a more effective treatment option. They can make a custom mold of your teeth and mouth to make a nightguard.
The nightguard is designed to position your tongue and jaw forward, which will keep your airway open while you sleep.
Before you go to bed, you put in the nightguard that fits tightly against your upper teeth. When you close your mouth, the lower teeth close into the bottom of the nightguard, which keeps your mouth in the proper position, keeps your airway open, and can prevent you from snoring. A nightguard can also help with sleep apnea.
If you snore and want to stop, Dr. Dame of North Park Family Dental in Grand Rapids, MI can help. He can fit you with a nightguard to help you stop snoring, which will help your partner and anyone else bothered by your snoring get a good night's sleep. To schedule an appointment, call (616) 361-7265.