A snoring problem can also influence your healthy sleep and your partner’s. An appropriate oral appliance designed to help stop snoring can do a great deal for both of you to have a peaceful night’s rest. The issue is that many different anti-snoring solutions make it difficult to determine which is the best. Moreover, they are sold under various names you may not know. If you’re unsure of what you’re looking for, here are the essential facts you need to know to find the best snoring mouth guard to improve sleep quality. The following article explores these details with CLM Sleep.
Snoring and Its Causes
Before deep diving into a snoring mouth guard, we must know the reasons that cause snoring. Snoring occurs due to a partial blocking of the airflow through the mouth and nose during sleep, causing tissue vibrations in the throat, creating a loud, disruptive noise that affects not only the person producing it but also his or her partner. Several possible factors that contribute to snoring are as follows:
- Mouth Anatomy: A low, thick, soft palate can restrict airflow, leading to snoring. Excess throat tissue, common in overweight individuals, can also narrow the airway. Additionally, an elongated uvula—the small tissue hanging from the soft palate—can obstruct airflow and increase vibrations.
- Alcohol Use: Drinking alcohol before bedtime can cause snoring because alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat, narrowing the airway and making it harder to breathe.
- Nasal Issues: Snoring often comes from nasal congestion or a deviated septum, which obstructs airflow.
- Sleep deprivation: Lack of sleep can make snoring worse because the muscles in the throat become overly relaxed.
- Sleep Position: Sleeping on your back causes the airway to narrow, and you need to volume up the snoring.
See more: Can You Have Sleep Apnea Without Snoring?
How a Snoring Mouth Guard Works
As known as a mandibular advancement device (MAD) or a tongue stabilizing device (TSD), a snoring mouth guard is usually made of elastic bands or plastic pads that put gentle pressure on the jaw to move forward. This technique has a high success rate in controlling snoring related to airway obstruction by the falling back of the tongue into the throat. Here is how they each work:
- Mandibular Advancement (MADs): gently forces the lower jaw forward and slightly wider to clear an airway free from vibrations that cause snoring.
- Tongue-stabilizing devices (TSDs): hold the tongue forward to prevent it from falling backward into the throat and to keep the airway clear while a person is sleeping.
Types of Snoring Mouth Guards
The two primary categories of anti snoring mouth guards target different causes of snoring by maintaining a patent airway during sleep. These include:
Custom-made snoring mouth guards
Custom-made snoring mouth guards are designed to fit perfectly with your oral structure, providing optimal comfort and effectiveness. Manufactured by dental professionals, this product offers many benefits:
- Personalized Fit: Unlike over-the-counter products, this device is customized to your dental structure, ensuring an optimal fit that stays securely throughout the night. It reduces discomfort and enhances effectiveness by reducing leakage around the mouthpiece.
- Enhanced Comfort: Personalized design ensures comfort in wear, reducing irritation and pain associated with the standard device.
- Better Performance: It helps the airway by pulling the jaw forward instead of stabilizing the tongue.
- High Durability: The good quality of the materials used in custom devices ensures their durability more than that of mass products if properly maintained.
Over-the-counter snoring mouth guards
A simple and cheap solution to most snoring problems is using over-the-counter (OTC) snoring mouth guards. Since they are not regulated medical devices, they can be marketed in any design imaginable. The following are some attributes of OTC mouth guards:
- Affordable Pricing: Over-the-counter anti snoring mouth guards are generally cheaper than custom-made products, so they represent a feasible and pocket-friendly solution to snoring.
- Easy to Use: They usually have a “boil-and-bite” design, which allows users to soften and adapt the device to their dental structure at home for fit and comfort.
- Variety of Options: OTC devices are offered both as mandibular advancement devices and tongue stabilizing devices, thereby offering choices for different causal factors of snoring.
- Quick Availability: Purchasing them from pharmacies or online stores does not require a dentist visit or prescription; therefore, the solution to the snoring problem is fast and very convenient.
See more: Anti-Snoring Devices – Effective Solutions to Stop Snoring
Benefits of Using a Snoring Mouth Guard
Using a snoring mouth guard offers numerous health benefits and enhances quality of life, including:
- Breathing Disorders: This device mechanically provides air at pressure into the human airway. This allows some serious breathing-related disorders, like apnea and snoring. Others simply help to expand the airway, making breathing easier during sleep and increasing the oxygen supply to the body, crucial factors for maintaining overall health.
- Reduce Snoring: The mouth guard helps prevent snoring by adjusting the jaw and tongue position, promoting deeper sleep for both you and your sleeping partner.
- Decrease Risk of Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition that can cause brief pauses in breathing during sleep. A mouth guard keeps the airway open, lowering the risk of developing this condition and associated health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.
- Enhance Sleep Quality: Users of the mouth guard often report feeling more comfortable and experiencing deeper sleep, resulting in a more refreshing wake-up in the morning.
- Increase Productivity: A good night’s sleep improves focus and productivity at work and in studies.
- Better Overall Health: Adequate and high-quality sleep allows the body to recover more effectively, enhancing overall health and reducing the risk of illness.
- Improve Relationships: Reducing snoring can enhance your partner’s sleep quality, leading to a more harmonious and happier relationship.
- Ease of use and portability: The snoring mouth guard is a non-drug solution that is easy to use and portable.
Suggestions for effective treatment of snoring disorders: CPAP machine
Potential Side Effects and How to Minimize Them
While mouth guards are highly effective in reducing snoring, there are some potential drawbacks and side effects to consider:
- Adjustment Period and Discomfort: Wearing a mouth guard may cause initial discomfort. You may need time to get used to it, and slight soreness in the jaw or teeth may occur.
- Jaw Pain: Some individuals may experience jaw pain or stiffness when using the device. This happens because the device shifts the lower jaw position, straining the muscles and joints.
- Dental Alignment Issues: In rare cases, prolonged mouth guard use can affect dental alignment. The risk is higher if the device does not fit properly.
Choosing the Right Snoring Mouth Guard
Selecting the best snoring mouth guard is essential for ensuring a comfortable and effective sleep. Here are the factors to consider:
Design and Type of Device
- Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD): This type helps adjust the lower jaw forward, expanding the airway and preventing snoring.
- Tongue Stabilizing Device (TSD): This device keeps the tongue forward, preventing it from falling back into the throat, which can cause airway obstruction.
Fit and Comfort
Choose a product that is the right size and shape for your mouth structure. A well-fitting device will provide greater comfort during overnight wear.
Material of the Product
Opt for products made from high-quality medical-grade materials that are safe, durable, and easy to clean, enhancing comfort during use.
Reviews and Certifications
Look for products that have undergone clinical testing and are certified by reputable medical organizations to ensure effectiveness in reducing snoring.
Price
Consider your budget when making a choice. Over-the-counter products are generally less expensive than custom-designed ones, but you must balance price and quality.
Ease of Cleaning
Select a product that is easy to clean and disinfect to maintain good oral hygiene and extend the device’s lifespan.
Consulting Experts
Consult a dentist or sleep specialist for tailored advice based on your health condition and personal needs, if possible.
Product Testing
If given the opportunity, try out various types of mouth guards to find the one that offers you the highest comfort and effectiveness.
Reading User Reviews
Seek feedback from those who have used the product to gain an overview of its effectiveness and comfort level.
Conclusion of the article
In summary, a snoring mouth guard is an effective solution for those who struggle with snoring. You can easily find a suitable product by searching for ‘snoring mouth guard near me,’ ‘snoring mouth guard Perth,’ ‘ snoring mouth guard australia,’ or ‘snoring mouth guard reviews.’
Visit our website to learn more about managing sleep disorders and their impact on health. Explore additional expert resources to help you achieve a more restful night’s sleep.
FAQs
How long does it take to get used to a snoring mouth guard?
Getting used to a snoring mouth guard typically takes about two to four weeks. At first, you might feel unfamiliar with wearing the device while sleeping. Wear it for the first few hours and gradually extend the usage time. For many people, using anti snoring mouth guard will gradually become a natural part of their nightly sleep routine.
Can a mouth guard stop snoring completely?
Many people choose mouth guards to treat snoring, but is it effective? The answer is yes! A snoring mouth guard can significantly reduce or even stop snoring for many individuals, especially those who snore due to mild airway obstruction or improper tongue positioning. However, its effectiveness depends on the cause of the snoring. In more severe cases, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or nasal congestion, additional treatments may be necessary to achieve the best results.
