by: Alex Kelly and Dr. Hal Stewart
Snoring is a sign and symptom of a sleep related breathing disorder. Ideally, you should be breathing quietly and through the nose with an open airway when sleeping, and throughout the day as well..
Snoring means an airway obstruction.
This obstruction causes you to not receive adequate oxygen while sleeping, which disrupts your regular sleep cycles, and causes chronic inflammation overtime at a cellular level. This cellular chronic inflammation is the source of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
WHAT CAUSES SNORING?
Chronic snoring is most commonly a result of underdeveloped, undersized jaws.
Jaw sizes have been shrinking since the Industrial revolution largely from the mass processing of our foods that are, as a result, depleted in the nutrients needed for jaw growth. As a result, jaw sizes continue to shrink with each generation, largely due to this ‘westernized’ diet. Smaller jaw size means less room for the tongue, which is then forced back into the throat and obstructs the airway.
RISKS OF SLEEP RELATED BREATHING DISORDERS
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Dementia
- Lack of Nitric Oxide
- Cavities
- Gum Disease
- Digestive Issues
- Chronic Fatigue
- Headaches
- Chronic Sore Throat
- High Blood Pressure
- ADD/ADHD
- Diabetes
- & more
OTHER SIGNS OF SLEEP RELATED BREATHING DISORDERS
- Snoring
- Mouth Breathing
- Black circles under eyes
- Blood Shot eyes
- Noisy breather
- Bedwetting (primarily applies to children)
- Hyperactivity and ADD/ADHD
- Daytime sleepiness
- Forward head posture (shoulders rolled forward)
- Large tongue
- Bruxism (teeth grinding)
- TMJ pain/dysfunction
- Day time sleepiness and fatigue
- Headaches
- Brain fog and/or difficulty concentrating/ ADD/ADHD
- Frequent night-time awakenings
- Waking up from sleep gasping for air
- Restless sleep
- Restless leg syndrome
SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO STOP SNORING?
Cpap Machine – CPAP machines open up the airway by sending a steady flow of pressurized air into your nose and mouth as you sleep. They do not solve the underlying problem, but they can be life saving to those who aren’t ready, or able, to move forward with a more permanent solution.
Mouth Taping – this is an effective practice to train yourself to nasal breath while sleeping. However, it should not be attempted without first consulting with your airway dentist or physician.
Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs) – MADs work by temporarily moving the jaw and tongue forward while sleeping, which reduces airway obstruction by increasing airway space. As always, we recommend consulting with a qualified sleep/airway dentist beforehand.
Orthopedic Remodeling Device (Expansion) – This is a definitive non-surgical option that can result in solving the underlying problem. These devices (under the care of a trained holistic airway dentist) gradually expand the upper and/or lower jaws – allowing more room for the tongue and teeth, causing the airway to be less restricted. Many of these devices are FDA approved and worn like an orthodontic retainer. They can improve smiles, crowded teeth, correct maxilla-mandibular underdevelopment in children and adults, widen nasal passages, and treat the root cause of sleep apnea, teeth grinding, TMJ disorder, and more.
Surgery – There are several surgery techniques to improve airway as well. These include single or double jaw advancement surgery, surgical expansion of the upper jaw, and other surgeries that all result in a definitive improvement of the root cause (small jaws) of the problem.
