Snoring is a frustrating and embarrassing problem but more than that, it’s a very unhealthy one as well. Waking in the middle of the night, as well as disturbing the sleep of others in the house, can have multiple negative effects on your health. Chronic snorers should consider a snoring appliance to get relief as much for them self as well as for their sleeping partner. In what way does a snoring appliance lessen snoring and where are they sold?
It would be nice if you could walk into your local pharmacy and pick out a snoring appliance from the shelves but typically you need to see your doctor to be fitted for such a device. It works very much like any mouth guard does. It will fit around your teeth and push your jaw slightly forward along with your tongue since it is in fact attached to the lower jaw. The objective of an appliance for snoring is to control the position of the jaw so as to prevent the mouth from falling open which forces breathing through your nose rather than the mouth. Breathing through your nose makes snoring less likely.
A physician will need to ensure that your snoring appliance fits snuggly to your jaw and mouth. He or she will usually take a mold or fitting of your mouth and design the appliance to fit you specifically. A device that does not fit correctly can be uncomfortable and will not work properly. It is something that needs to fit you perfectly and not something where there is room here and there.
Your insurance carrier may or may not cover the cost of a snoring appliance, but if not it’s something you may still want to consider. Snoring can lead to permanent damage of the throat and mouth and a chronic lack of sleep can mean fatigue, falling asleep at inappropriate times, and all sorts of health problems. Certainly if a small device like a snoring appliance can help you to get to sleep and preserve your health then it’s worth the expense. So why not discuss this option with your doctor and get his or her recommendation?