What Causes Snoring?

Snoring happens when your airway gets too narrow for air to flow easily when you breathe. This creates turbulence that causes your tissues to vibrate. This creates the sound.

Airway restriction can happen at any point in the airway from the nostrils to the chest. The loudest and most consistent occurs when the airway narrows in the throat.

Rochester Hills sleep dentist Dr. Wolfe can help you figure out where your airway is narrowed and causing your snoring.

Not a Joke

Although we are used to seeing snoring represented as a gag, it is no laughing matter, it comes with some serious risks, including:

  • Sleep apnea
  • Falling asleep behind the wheel
  • Carotid artery hardening
  • Disputes leading to divorce or domestic violence

Snoring is one of the most common signs of elevated sleep apnea risk. If you snore loudly at night, you should be tested for sleep apnea.

Snorers are nearly twice as likely to fall asleep at the wheel than non-snorers, no matter how much sleep they think they get each night. To the jealous eyes of a person awake, it might seem like a snorer is sleeping peacefully. The truth is that snoring is the sound of the body struggling to breathe. A snorer might be asleep, but they are not really resting.

The vibrations of snoring in the throat cause damage to the blood vessels in your throat. The tiny wounds scar over, which contributes to artery hardening. Eventually, this leads to an increased stroke risk.

Snoring is one of the most common sources of fighting among couples. Since no-one is getting good rest, it’s easy for tempers to flare and conflict can escalate. This makes snoring one of the leading causes of divorce, and it can lead to domestic violence. It’s best to be taken seriously and treat it before conflicts worsen.

Treatment

Over-the-counter snoring treatments are almost always ineffective. Sprays and creams do nothing. Strips are mildly helpful if localized in the nose, but do nothing for the throat. Over-the-counter appliances fit poorly and can do as much harm as good. For mild symptoms, some home care approaches can help. Changing your sleep position and avoiding alcohol before bed can be effective.

Custom-fitted oral appliances, however, can be very effective. An oral appliance designed by Rochester Hills sleep dentist Dr. Wolfe can hold your jaw in the ideal position to support an open airway without harming your jaw. This can quiet the deepest and loudest snoring.

In rare cases, surgery can be done, but the risk is high, and results are rarely long-lasting.

Do You Need Snoring Treatment in Rochester Hills

If you are unhappy because of your or your partner’s snoring, sleep dentist Dr. Matthew Wolfe can help.