What’s the deal? I sent my husband to the doctor because he snores so loudly I can’t sleep. Rather than help him the doc tells him to go to the dentist. Really? Please help. I’m tired!
Cathey
Dear Cathey,
A Dentist Can Stop Your Snoring
I know it sounds weird, but snoring has more to do with your bite than you’d think. Your doctor knew a dentist would best be able to help in this situation. I want you to take a peek at the picture below. In some patients, when they relax the muscles at the back of their throat can slump down and block their air passage a bit. This is what results in the snoring sound.
This is also why when you get your husband to turn onto his side he often stops snoring for a bit. Your dentist can custom design an orthotic device that he can sleep in, similar to a sport’s mouthguard, that will move his jaw into the proper position and open up his air passage. This prevents the vibrations of the muscles which lead to snoring.
If this isn’t treated and becomes more severe, it could eventually lead to sleep apnea. Then, neither of you will get the proper amount of rest, though your husband won’t realize it. He’ll just be exhausted all the time without identifying the cause. With sleep apnea, the muscles can completely block the airway causing him to stop breathing. His body will wake him up with a start so he’ll breathe again and then he’ll quickly fall back asleep. This can happen hundreds of times a night. The most severe cases lead to heart problems.
A quick visit to your dentist should take care of this.
I hope this helps you understand what your doctor had in mind when he sent him to the dentist. He wasn’t trying to get rid of him, rather get him to the right caregiver.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Rebecca Gecovich.