Ask people what snoring sounds like and you’re bound to get several different answers. To some, snoring is an almost reassuring tune that the person sleeping one pillow over hums every night. For others, well, snoring is more like a freight train rattling over railroad tracks night after night. Regardless of the octave or decibel, snoring can be more than just an all-too-familiar sound; it can also be a sign of a more serious condition called sleep apnea. The dentists and their team at Darby Creek Dental want to inform you about both, so you can seek proper treatment for either snoring or sleep apnea in Marysville, OH.
What is Snoring?
Snoring is the sound you hear when a snorer breathes in while sleeping. Your breathing passage may become narrowed during sleep when your tongue and other soft tissue in your throat relax. As air moves through this narrowed passage, these tissues vibrate against one another and cause that snoring sound. In and of itself, snoring is not dangerous. However, it can lead to disrupted sleep for you and your bed partner, daytime drowsiness and other health problems that are connected to insufficient sleep.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a medical condition that actually causes a pause in breathing. That same tissue that relaxes and vibrates with snoring tends to collapse against your airway, blocking the free passage of air. These episodes of sleep apnea can last anywhere from a few seconds to a full minute. A person with sleep apnea may snore loudly and then go silent when breathing is blocked. When the brain signals the body to awaken in order to restart breathing, there may be snorting sounds or gasping for air.
In addition to loud snoring, the other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Irritability
- Compromised concentration
- Morning headaches
- Awakening with a sore throat or dry mouth
- Needing to urinate frequently during the night
Snoreguards from Your Dentist in Marysville
At Darby Creek Dental, the dentist Marysville residents trust, we treat snoring and sleep apnea with a comfortable oral appliance called a snoreguard. Worn nightly, a snoreguard shifts your lower jaw slightly forward. This small adjustment helps to prevent your tongue and other throat tissue from collapsing against your airway.
Call Our Office Today
If you or someone you love snores at night, then call Darby Creek Dental to find out if a snoreguard may be the solution you need for a restful night of sleep. We happily serve patients from Marysville, OH, and the surrounding communities.