Health & Fitness
The Daily Floss #7: Is Snoring Keeping You Up At Night?
Dr. Carlos Meulener, DMD discusses the causes of and solutions to snoring.
It is estimated that one third of the population snores, which comes out to be about 80 million people in North America. Spouses and children are often repeatedly disturbed during their sleep cycles by a snoring family member, which can lead to tensions and animosity. Snoring can lead to serious physical damage: the struggle for breath can result in soaring blood pressure which can damage the walls of carotid arteries and increase risk of stroke.
What Causes Snoring?
During sleep, the muscles and soft tissues in the throat and mouth relax making the breathing airway smaller. This decrease in the airway space increases the velocity of air flowing thru the airway creating vibrations of the soft tissues resulting in “noisy breathing” referred to as snoring. It should be noted that sleep studies have shown that excess body weight, heavy alcohol consumption, and other sedatives increase the severity of snoring.
What are the Solutions?
There has been some success with surgical procedures (20 to 40%) to try and widen the airway. Certain circumstances dealing with very severe anatomical deformities may make this method necessary. For the majority of people, the most affordable, non-invasive, comfortable, and effective solution is prescribed by their dentist. It is an oral snoring preventive devise called the SILENT NITE.
How does SILENT NITE prevent snoring?
The custom fitted SILENT NITE retainer worn at night moves the lower jaw slightly in a forward position increasing the three dimensional space in the airway tube. This reduces air velocity and soft tissue vibration. The SILENT NITE retainer exhibits an 85% success rate in eliminating snoring.
As a special offer to our readers and their families please call our office for a free consultation (Value $75.00) to see if you are a candidate for the SILENT NITE appliance to eliminate your snoring. Offers expires September 15, 2012
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If you have any other questions, please send me an e-mail at contact@drmeulener.com.
And remember your daily floss!
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Carlos Meulener, DMD PA
4 Parker Ave.
Little Silver, NJ 07739
732-842-7555
