What Makes Snoring a Problem for Your Sleep?

When it comes to oral health problems, you might not include chronic snoring in your list of concerns. Even if you realize that you have a snoring problem, you may not think to speak to your dentist about resolving it. However, at our office, we can help many patients overcome a chronic snoring habit with the help of a custom-designed snoring or sleep apnea appliance. Though you may not realize it at first, addressing your snoring habit could help you avoid several subsequent problems with your health and wellbeing, especially if the habit is actually a sign of obstructive sleep apnea.

The reason why you snore at night

Snoring can be the result of different factors for different people, but when it occurs consistently, it’s often caused by a partial obstruction of the airway. When you sleep, your throat and mouth tissues can become completely relaxed, and in some cases, they can collapse into and block your airway. The sound of snoring is caused by the increased air pressure of your breathing, which causes your throat and oral tissues to vibrate when you breathe. Occasional snoring may not be much of a problem, but doing it most nights or every night can become a burden on your breathing and sleeping patterns.

What this means for your breathing

When your airway isn’t as open and clear as it’s meant to be, the noise of your breathing isn’t the only concern that results from it. Snoring restricts the amount of air you draw in with every breath, and the obstruction forces your lungs to work harder for the minimal oxygen. This is what makes chronic snoring a burden that should be addressed. Over time, this burden can have an increasing influence on your cardiovascular health, making you more susceptible to developing related health issues.

When it’s more serious than you realize

For patients who snore most nights, the impacts can eventually become significant. However, people snore every night may sometimes be suffering from a sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. While snoring results from a partial obstruction of your airway, sleep apnea involves the passage becoming completely blocked by oral and/or throat tissues. The sound of snoring that leads up to this obstruction will grow increasingly louder, then stop suddenly before repeating itself over and over again. This constant interruption to your breathing and sleeping cycle can have more significant impacts on both your long-term health and your more immediate quality of life.

Learn how to address your snoring problem

Whether you realize it or not, chronic snoring could be a bigger threat to your health and wellbeing than you might expect. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling the Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX, today at (936) 441-4600. We serve patients from Conroe and all neighboring communities.