Snoring effects nearly half of all adults with mostly men being the ones who suffer more due to being overweight. But snoring can be a sign of something more serious such as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
Symptoms of OSA can include the following:
- Snoring
- Pauses in breath during sleep
- Waking up breathless or gasping/choking
- Dry mouth
- Sore throat
- Moody and irritable
- Headaches
- Sleepiness & fatigue during the day
- Frequent urination
- Heart issues (blood pressure, stroke, cardiac issues)
Causes of OSA include the following:
- Partial or full obstruction of airflow in the back of the nose and mouth. This area is a collapsible part of the airway where the airway in the upper throat strikes the tongue/soft palate and uvula which causes vibration during breathing.
Overweight or excessive throat tissue causing the airways to narrow.
- Tonsils and adenoids
- Poor muscle tone causing the tongue and throat to fall back into the airway. Alcohol and drugs can make this worse.
- Obstructed nasal passages, damage or deformities to the nasal septum
Treatment options:
- Seeing a ENT specialist (Ear, Nose and Throat)
- Using a small device such as a nasal dilator Snore No More (sold in our clinic)
- Custom fit oral appliances to reposition the jaw
- Airway device CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure)
- Healthy diet and exercise to reduce weight
If you feel you are facing any of these symptoms or would like to have a discussion with our dentist, please contact us to schedule an appointment on (07) 33982255 or
