Many couples joke about their partner’s snoring and often kick the snoring spouse to the couch or guest room, but snoring may indicate a severe medical condition such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea. While snoring may seem like an annoyance that you have to put up with because your marriage vows say you have to take the good and the bad until death do you part, snoring is the sound people make when they struggle to breathe during sleep.
Even though you may want to put a pillow over your partner’s face due to disruptive snoring, the sound we know as snoring indicates a bigger problem. The good news is that snoring is a sign of a sleep-related breathing disorder that is treatable, and a knowledgeable sleep apnea dentist in your area can help.
Before you or your snoring partner can begin treatment for sleep apnea and snoring, a sleep test must be conducted to diagnose sleep apnea and evaluate whether it’s mild, moderate, or severe. Now, before you think, “I will never go to a sleep lab and be hooked up to those machines and be monitored while I sleep,” you should know that there are now at-home sleep studies available today that are easy to manage and highly accurate.
In just two nights of monitored sleep in the comfort of your bed, sleep technicians and sleep apnea dentists can clearly understand what type of sleep apnea you’re suffering from and how severe it is. Then, treatment can begin with a sleep dentist we find for you in your area.
The Biology of Snoring
According to the Sleep Foundation website, “Snoring occurs when air cannot flow freely through the airway as a person sleeps. When the airway is narrowed or partially blocked, breathing causes the tissues of the upper airway to vibrate, resulting in the sound heard when someone snores.”
Snoring is most often associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the most common of the different types of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed because people don’t feel comfortable telling their doctors about their snoring—this is especially true for females. While more males than females snore, snoring affects both genders and people of all ages, shapes, and sizes.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Treatment for sleep apnea is highly effective because snoring is caused by an airway that is too relaxed and has collapsed; sleep apnea treatment prevents your airway from collapsing. Treatment involves keeping the jaw, mouth, and airway in the proper position to prevent this collapse from occurring. While CPAP has always been the preferred method to treat sleep apnea, other sleep apnea treatment modalities are proving to be very effective.
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) is a very appealing treatment for sleep apnea because you simply put an oral appliance in your mouth while you sleep. The oral appliance gently forces your mouth and jaw into the best position for sleep so your airway doesn’t become obstructed. You get better quality sleep and no longer snore because you’re not struggling to breathe while you sleep. Your sleep dentist will custom-design your oral appliance based on bite impressions gathered at your appointment.
Your medical history concerns your sleep apnea dentist, and some lifestyle changes will likely be recommended as additional sleep apnea treatment. Some of those changes may include:
- Choosing a different mattress and pillow
- Changing the position in which you sleep
- Avoiding particular food and drinks before the evening
- Sticking to a set schedule even on days off
- Turning off devices that may distract your slumber
- Using darkening shades
- Avoiding working and watching TV in bed
Order Your At-Home Sleep Test Today
The SleepTest.com software and equipment are incredibly user-friendly, and technicians are on hand to answer any questions. We can answer all financing questions and even bill your insurance should we learn your insurance will cover some or all of the at-home sleep test costs.
Once your results are evaluated, we will connect you with a sleep apnea dentist in your area, and treatment may begin. Why not start getting the sleep you need and deserve now? You are probably tired of being exhausted and deprived of good quality sleep night after night. SleepTest.Com can help.
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