Snore Guards
It is estimated that up to 50% of adults have some snoring disorder. Snoring is such a common problem; people tend to under-rate its seriousness. Disrupted sleep on an on-going basis can lead to relationship problems and affect the physical well being of both the snorer and partner alike.
What Causes Snoring?
When you're asleep, the muscles and soft tissues in your throat and mouth automatically relax. The lower jaw and tongue drop back, helping block and decrease the airway opening. This results in an increase in the velocity of air flowing through your airway when you breathe. The increased velocity causes soft tissues in your mouth and throat to vibrate. That familiar snoring sound is actually the sound of those tissues vibrating.
In its most severe form, the collapse of the upper airway is so complete that the lungs may not receive oxygen for up to 30 seconds. This is called "Obstructive Sleep Apnea." In response to this deprivation of oxygen, your body triggers an internal alarm and you partially wake. This is usually accompanied by loud gasps for air that can last 3 seconds or more, until you fall asleep and the cycle starts all over again.
Snoring is also affected by diet, health, lifestyle, age, weight, environment and other factors.
A snore prevention appliance is a small oral device professionally fitted by a dentist. It has a unique inner lining that is softened by heat during the fitting process. (Similar to an athletic mouth guard.) The unit is custom fitted to your individual needs. It fits snugly over your top teeth while you sleep and is designed to prevent your tongue from dropping towards the back of your throat. This helps keep your airway open, effectively relieving the main cause of snoring.