Snoring is that unmistakable sound that occurs during sleep when soft tissue in the upper airway vibrates as you breathe, or worse (when your partner breathes). Snoring is caused by the vibration of soft tissue in your head and neck as you breathe in and out during sleep. This includes the nasal passages, the soft palate in the roof of your mouth, and your tonsils.
Though snoring is extremely common in men, it also occurs frequently in women, especially during pregnancy and after menopause. Obesity, nasal obstruction, alcohol and smoking all increase the risk of snoring.
Snoring Risks and Impacts
The sound of snoring tends to be most disturbing to a bed partner or roommate, but loud and frequent snoring can also be a sign of something more serious like obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is very serious because a person’s airways repeatedly become partially or totally blocked for about 10 seconds throughout the night. Most people think only of the snoring, but obstructive sleep apnoea is far more serious and can lead to heart disease, strokes or heart attacks.
Snoring can also cause other dental problems too because it leads to Xerostomia (you probably know this as ‘dry mouth’). Saliva is needed to coat and moisten your oral tissues and snoring can reduce the salivary flow. This can lead to problems like halitosis (bad breath), burning mouth syndrome, tooth decay and gum disease. An uninterrupted flow of saliva is necessary to ensure that harmful bacteria and other organisms in the mouth don’t grow too quickly, resulting in mouth infections and sores.
Treatment for Snoring
Many people don't know that dentists treat snoring and very often we prescribe a special dental appliance that prevents the airways from collapsing during sleep. At Paramount Dental Sydney we have a specialised understanding of the insides of the face, jaw and airways so we are able to recommend a range of solutions to treat your snoring.
From $400 for dental appliances
Medicare rebates and Healthcare cover may cover some of the costs associated with treatment for snoring