You’re more likely to snore if you are overweight, smoke or drink too much alcohol. Sometimes it’s caused by a condition like sleep apnoea, which is when your airways become temporarily blocked as you sleep.
Snoring can be a result of a combination of factors:
- A large tongue or a long soft palate
- Excess fat deposits in the throat area or large tonsils
- Incorrect jaw position
- Nasal passageway obstruction
- Sleeping on your back causing the tongue to drop to the back of the mouth
Seeing your GP would be the first step to diagnose sleep apnoea, but treatment could well then be through a dentist. We can make a specialist mandibular advancement device, such as the Sleepwell appliance. This is a bespoke mouth guard that fits comfortably over your teeth but holds the lower jaw and tongue forward, preventing the temporary collapse of the soft tissues at the back of your mouth. This in turn can open up your airway and help prevent snoring.
