At Dental Sleep Medicine Hawaii, Dr. Dennis Nagata can provide treatment for patients who snore. Snoring is a common occurrence for many individuals and can sometimes inhibit your own sleep as well as your significant other’s. Our dentist can give you the proper treatment you need to sleep better at night.
Snoring is a common occurrence for many individuals and may be considered a regular annoyance by your partner. Snoring is usually caused by the relaxing of airway muscles during sleep, which can narrow the upper airway. Many factors can contribute to the muscles relaxing:
- Mouth anatomy can play a part if you have a low soft palate, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or an elongated uvula.
- Obesity can cause patients to have extra tissues in the back of their throat.
- Consuming too much alcohol before bed can relax the throat muscles.
- Nasal congestion or a deviated septum can increase chances of snoring.
- Sleeping on your back can cause gravity to push down on your throat.
- Sleep deprivation can lead to more throat relaxation.
- A family history of snoring or other sleep disorders can increase your chances.
- Men are more likely to snore than women.
- Natural aging can also be a factor.
Any one of these factors, or a combination of them, can constrict your airway. The airflow then becomes more forceful and increases tissue vibration that results in snoring. It can often be dismissed as a natural part of aging, but it should not be accepted as such if it is inhibiting your sleep, and therefore your quality of life.
Snoring is often associated with sleep apnea since snoring can be a symptom of OSA, but it is not always related. There are some people who tend to snore but are not diagnosed with sleep apnea, since both are considered to be on different ends of a clinical spectrum. These people are classified as “simple snorers” or primary snorers. Simple snoring is caused by tissues in the throat relaxing enough to create vibration and partially block the airway. Sleep apnea is classified as the airway being completely blocked, so that people stop breathing for a matter of seconds to a full minute, with multiple pauses that cause the brain to not fully rest as it fights for oxygen. Louder, more frequent snoring can be an indicator of sleep apnea.
If you snore, but are not sure if you have sleep apnea, come to our office for a sleep study. Dr. Nagata can help diagnose your symptoms to see if you have OSA or are merely a simple snorer. Luckily, we do provide snore-stopping treatments.
At Dental Sleep Medicine Hawaii, the most common treatment for snoring is an oral appliance, which works like a retainer that fits in your mouth at night. The appliance helps adjust your jaw into a slightly forward position so that your airway tissues do not collapse, your tongue stays in place and your airway stays open. This prevents vibrations when your palate and soft tissues relax.
If you snore frequently, we highly suggest coming to Dental Sleep Medicine Hawaii to receive treatment from our dentist. Call 808-946-6326 to learn more about our snoring treatments in Honolulu, Hawaii!