If you are a heavy snorer you are unlikely to be popular if you ever have to share a bedroom! Until you realize that you have a problem, you are unlikely to try and do anything about it. A stop snoring mouthpiece is just one of your options depending on what type of snorer you are.
Your first step is to work out what type of snorer you are. Are you a “tongue based snorer” for example. This is where your tongue tends to slip back and obstruct your airway. A “mouth breather” tends to suck in air in such a way to cause excessive vibration and this may, or may not be because of an abnormality in the nasal passages or small nostrils that could force you to do this. If vibration is your problem, then stop snoring mouthpieces may well work for you.
Intially, the mouthpiece needs to be fitted/moulded to your mouth and when worn, it acts by keeping the mouth and tongue in the correct position to stop the vibrations. There are two types of stop snoring mouthpieces, one you can mould to fit yourself and the other has to be fitted by a dentist. This “mandibular advancement device” actually moves the jaw and tongue forward by between 0 and 12mm depending on the specific device and raising the soft palate to prevent any blockage of the airways that could lead to pronounced snoring.
Be aware of potential problems should you have false teeth, gum disease or any mandibular joint dysfunction in which case you should take professional advice. Other things to watch out for when buying a self-fit device is whether or not any sideways movement is allowed for, and/or the ease of any possible mouth breathing as this is not possible with some stop snoring devices.
There are of course other options besides the stop snoring mouthpieces. Other possibilities such as anti-snoring pillows, nasal and throat sprays, medications, exercises, or perhaps changes to the diet before you even consider surgery that is of course the most drastic option.
Despite aggressive advertising, what works for an individual may not for everyone, just like there are different reasons why anyone snores. It is always wise to consult a medical practitioner before you start buying any products. If you don’t like the thought of putting a stop snoring mouthpiece device into your mouth all night, why not think about one of the anti-snoring pillows or another option is to consider the use of specific exercises.
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