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Snoring can cause misery for sufferers and their partners - but there IS a solution that doesn’t involve surgery or using sprays and uncomfortable devices. In just two visits to our practice your life could be transformed, completely eliminating snoring and giving you a peaceful night’s sleep.

Snoring is a social taboo. We don’t talk about it if we snore ourselves and we mock others who do. However, science is making us more aware of the real nature of snoring and the potential negative health issues associated with it.

What is snoring?

Snoring results from a partial closure of your airway during sleep. When you sleep the muscles in your neck relax and under certain conditions the soft tissue in the upper throat vibrates, which makes you SNORE.

Why does it happen?

Snorers are often made to feel guilty but the causes of snoring are often beyond their control. Certain factors increase the chances of being a snorer:

• Physiology – we cannot help the way we are built and some of us are more likely to snore for this reason.
• Sex – Men tend on average to have more tissue around the neck and are therefore more prone to snoring.
• Excess body weight – I f you are overweight then there tends to be more pressure on you throat when you sleep.
• Age – As we age our muscles become weaker and this can lead to weaker throat muscles.
• Lifestyle – Some people snore after drinking alcohol or taking sleeping tablets due to the extra relaxation caused in the neck and throat.

What effects does it have?

Sleep science is increasing in importance and studies have shown that the lack of slip caused by snoring has some of the wide reaching effects listed below.

Snoring

Snoring leads to broken sleep for the partner and the person who snore.

• Daytime sleepiness
• Poor motivation
• Higher stress levels
• Lack of energy
• Driving while tired
• Less effective at work

In addition, snoring can be a symptom of a more serious condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. OSA occurs in patients where the snoring is so severe that the airway closes completely. This prevents the patient from breathing, which causes an adrenalin rush triggered by the brain that in turn wakes the patient. This can happen a number of times during the night, even though the patient is often unaware.

Increased Blood Pressure

The shortage of oxygen, the adrenalin rush and the awakening process (explained above) causes a shock to the system of a patient suffering from snoring and OSA, which in turn increases the blood pressure. In addition the broken sleep cycle of a snorer’s partner may lead to health issues for non-snorers both in the same room or house!

Headaches

Snorers and their partners can suffer from headaches during the night and in the morning due to snoring and OSA

Sex Drive

It is well understood that the sex drive of both the snorer and their partner may be reduced by broken sleep, snoring and OSA.

Increased Risk of Diabetes

Links have been found between snoring and OSA and a greater chance of being diabetic.

Relationship Issues

Snoring affects the partner, the family and the snorer hence everybody concerned becomes a ‘sufferer’. Many snorers sleep in different rooms to their partner. Snoring causes arguments and is said to be the third most common reason for couples separating.

What are the choices?

Invasive surgical procedures vary in effectiveness and are not the preferred choice for most patients. Facial masks are effective in maintaining a clear airway by using positive air pressure, although this treatment tends to be accepted only by sufferers of severe OSA. Low cost, uncomfortable boil and bite mouth guards, sprays and other gadgets often do not work, especially in the long term. In addition, there is very little clinical evidence to support their use.

But the Franklin House dentists can now provide you with an ideal treatment that is clinically proven but does not require invasive surgery or intrusive facial masks.

Solutions 4 Snoring's SLEEPWELL is a custom made appliance known as a mandibular advancement splint. In scientific trials the appliance was acceptable to 98% of patients. SLEEPWELL has been designed for maximum patient comfort and it is simply placed into the mouth before going to bed. While sleeping, SLEEPWELL holds the lower jaw forward by as little 2-3 mm. This alleviates the pressure at the back of the throat to eliminate or reduce snoring.

We will discuss your suitability for this treatment and complete the patient pre-screening questionnaire. Following diagnosis, impressions of your mouth will be taken and a SLEEPWELL appliance will be custom-made to accurately fit your mouth. You should only need two appointments – the initial consultation and the final fit following laboratory manufacture.

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