Chronic snoring is a disruptive condition that is more dangerous than you think. Snoring is the result of a blockage in the airway, either nasal or in the throat, which means that when you snore, you are literally struggling for breath throughout the entire night. As this occurs, the body is deprived of oxygen and your heart is forced to work harder and harder. This creates all sorts of health problems including high blood pressure which then can lead to deadly heart disease, strokes and heart attacks. Once your snoring has been identified, most likely by a disgruntled loved one, it is imperative that you find a method that works to eliminate your snoring.
When the blockage that causes snoring is in the nasal passage nasal strips, antihistamines or cold medication is usually sufficient to open your airway. However, when the blockage is in the throat, commonly due to the tongue, an effective anti-snoring mouthpiece is the right choice to eliminate your chronic snoring. The problem is, there are dozens of models available and they all claim to work immediately and comfortably, so it is important to know which devices have been found most effective and what scams to be aware of.
There are two major designs when it comes to effective mouthpieces, Tongue Stabilizing Devices (TSD) which hold the tongue in place with a strip or band, and Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) that advance the lower jaw forward to secure the tongue. Both designs open the airway exclusively by ensuring that the tongue is retained throughout the entire night. Furthermore, many of these models have additional features that allow for further adjustment to give you the best fit possible. It is essential that the device is properly fitted to your mouth otherwise it will fall out of place, or out of your mouth, while you sleep, rendering it ineffective.
Ineffective models are often simply night guards that have been advertised as anti-snoring devices when they are actually meant to prevent teeth grinding. Differentiating good snoring mouthpieces from bad can be easy. The bad mouthpieces often are not FDA-approved or certified and do nothing to secure the tongue in order to maintain an open airway. These companies often Continue reading →