Your wife is ready to leave you because of your snoring and you have woken yourself up several times by that loud noise you have been making. You’ve been feeling tired all day long and the constant fights over your snoring has only made you feel guilt, embarrassed and isolated all because of something you can’t help.
Finally, in desperation you have gone to your doctor and he has told you that you are suffering from Obstructive sleep Apnea (OSA) and that is the cause of your loud snoring. He has suggested that you see a dentist that specializes in OSA and get fitted for a therapeutic anti-snoring mouthguard.
Of course when you got home you immediately got online to find out just what one of these anti-snoring mouthguards were. Having looked at a few sites explaining these devices and looking at pictures of these sleep aids you find yourself asking what can be so therapeutic about these anti-snoring mouthguards.
They look like some kind of torture device to your inexperienced eye. You find yourself wondering if you are ever going to be able to sleep again wearing one of them.
Rest assured, even though they do look a little scary when viewed on a web page and even up close, they are much more comfortable than they look and they really are designed to help you sleep better and to quit snoring. Most of the therapeutic anti-snoring mouthguards today are designed to bring your lower jaw forward which keeps your tongue from falling back and blocking your airway when you sleep.
When your airway is blocked you aren’t getting enough air and that snoring sound is a reflection of this problem. So, the anti-snoring mouthguard is actually allowing you to get more air while you sleep which results in better sleep for both you and your spouse.
Getting Used To The Therapeutic Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece
That’s not to say that the first few nights you wear it you are guaranteed to drift off into uninterrupted slumber. For some these anti-snoring mouthpieces do take some getting used to. After all, most of us aren’t used to sleeping with things in our mouth and some people do find the feeling quite strange for a night or two and may have some trouble falling asleep.
There are also some people who experience excess saliva when wearing the mouthpiece and others who have some teeth and joint pain. This may mean that your mouthpiece needs some minor adjustments and you should call your dentist and explain the problem to him. Chances are, given a few minor adjustments and a few days to get used to the feel of your anti-snoring mouthpiece you will be sleeping like a baby.
Will I Have To Sleep With This Mouthpiece Forever?
In some cases patients, especially those with OSA do wear a therapeutic anti-snoring mouthpiece for the rest of their lives. However, in some cases these devices are used to help get you the air and sleep better while others issues that may be causing your sleep apnea are addressed. For example, people who are overweight may only need the mouthpiece until they lose enough weight to stop snoring.
In other cases throat, tongue and jaw exercises may result in less obstruction of the airway and you may no longer have to wear the mouthpiece. The important thing is that therapeutic anti-snoring mouthpiece is available to help you get the air you need, when you need it, for as long as you need it. Who knows, after wearing it a few months you may miss the feel of it in your mouth.
The Right Kind Of Mouthpiece For You
There are several different kinds of therapeutic mouthpieces and each kind has its own unique design and the cost will vary. When visiting your dentist to be fitted for one of these mouthpieces discuss all your options with him and answer all his questions as thoroughly and completely as possible and he will help you decide which style of mouthpiece will be the best suited and the comfortable for you.