Your dentist may be the last person you think can help if you suffer from chronic snoring. However, at Harley Street Dental Clinic, our team of dental professionals have helped many patients who regularly snore to overcome the problem.
Snoring is a common problem that can turn into a nightmare – not just for the snorer, but also for those who share a bedroom with them. It is caused by a narrowing of the airways, which happens when they relax as you sleep. This affects the air pressure within your airways, causing the soft tissues in your head and neck (such as the tonsils, soft palate and nasal passages) to vibrate and produce a sound.
Everyone snores sometimes, and partial blockage of the airways thanks to colds, flu, or seasonal conditions such as hay fever can all lead to temporary snoring. However, when it becomes chronic, it can become a serious issue, affecting your sleep (as well as the sleep of your loved ones) and sometimes indicating an underlying condition.
Common causes of snoring include:
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Being overweight
- Some medications
In these cases, changes to your lifestyle can help resolve your snoring. As mentioned, chronic snoring may be a symptom of a more serious condition called sleep apnoea, which sees suffers stop breathing entirely several times a night. This should always be investigated by a sleep clinic in the first instance. However, in many cases your dentist can help with both snoring and sleep apnoea.
At Harley Street Dental Clinic your dentist can create a custom-made oral device or mouthpiece that will prevent your lower jaw from dropping back whilst you are sleeping, so preventing your airways from closing.
You will be invited into our Harley Street clinic for a consultation, where your dentist will take impressions of your mouth for your mouthpiece to be made, helping you to breathe better and sleep better.