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Snore Guards |
 Snoring is more than just irritating to a partner who has to listen to it all night. It is more than just embarrassing. The truth is that snoring can be a sign of a serious underlying issue called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that affects your quality of sleep. You are subject to excessive daytime sleepiness, trouble concentrating, and difficulty thinking clearly. With sleep apnea, you are also subject to serious health complications. At Hillsboro Dental Center, we can help to stop your snoring with a snore guard.
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Sleep Apnea
Getting enough sleep, and getting quality sleep, every night is important. Sleep is essential for allowing your body to repair itself both physically and mentally, allowing your mind and body to work properly every day. As you sleep, your body goes through two different cycles several different times. Sleep apnea is a condition that disrupts your sleep and affects its quality. When you have sleep apnea, you stop breathing momentarily during the night, which causes you to wake up, even if you are completely unaware of it. This happens several times during the night. Every time you wake up, your body has to start the sleep cycles all over again. As a result, your body and mind are unable to completely rest and repair themselves.
Sleep apnea ranges in severity from mild to severe. Those with mild sleep apnea experience 5 to 14 apneic events per sleeping hour while those with severe sleep apnea experience more than 30 events per hour. There are also two types of sleep apnea. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. With OSA, your airway becomes blocked, often by the tongue or other excess oral tissue. When the airway becomes blocked, this can also cause snoring.
How Do I Know if I Have Sleep Apnea?
Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, but it is not the only one. One of the most common symptoms is waking up in the morning feeling more exhausted than when you went to bed. Other symptoms of sleep apnea include:
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Excessive daytime sleepiness.
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Trouble staying awake. You might drift off during the day, including while doing things such as driving.
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Difficulty focusing on your daily tasks.
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Irritability and trouble controlling emotions.
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Health-related issues, including high blood pressure. |
How is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?
Before receiving treatment for sleep apnea, the condition first needs to be diagnosed. This is done through a sleep study. During a sleep study, you are hooked up to machines that monitor your breathing and muscle movements while you sleep. The information that is recorded is read the next day, allowing a sleep specialist to diagnose sleep apnea or other sleep-related issues.
Other Issues That Can Cause Snoring
While sleep apnea is a common cause of snoring, there are other issues that can cause it as well. These issues include:
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Allergies. Allergies cause inflammation of tissues, including those in the throat and sinuses.
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Lifestyle habits like smoking or excessive drinking.
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Certain types of medications.
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The position you sleep in.
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Pregnancy. |
Preventing Snoring with a Snore Guard
A snore guard is a custom created oral appliance made to help stop snoring. It resembles a sports mouth guard in appearance and is worn over your top teeth while you sleep. The guard works to hold your jaw in proper alignment, preventing the bottom jaw from sliding back. Because your jaw is held in proper alignment, your tongue is stopped from sliding back as well, keeping your airway clear. We create your snore guard from impressions of your mouth, allowing for the best possible fit and the most effective results. With a snore guard, you can finally get the quality sleep you have been searching before.
A snore guard can help to stop your snoring while you sleep, allowing you to finally get the quality sleep you need. For more information, and to schedule your consultation, call Hillsboro Dental Center today at (503) 648-2829.
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Hillsboro Dental Center
Dr. John T. Roberts and Dr. Cheryl Hansen
Partnering with Dr. Philip Cronin
4440 NE Cornell Rd.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
503-648-3125
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