Snoring Treatment in Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill

Snoring isn't sexy... neither are

strokes, heart attacks, or high blood pressure

. Almost everyone has an uncle or cousin or dad whose snoring is legendary.

Snoring is truly, a no laughing matter, it may be a warning sign of danger. Unfortunately, the sleeper doesn't hear it, and those that do, usually don't recognize it as a danger signal.

Fact is, snoring is sometimes a cry for help from someone who is suffering from

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

, which deprives the body of proper oxygen, putting people at a higher risk for

high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and earlier onset of dementia.

If you snore, or have been diagnosed with

sleep apnea

, specially educated and trained dentist, Dr. Stern, can provide a solution with a medically-approved, custom designed and fitted

oral appliance

. The dental mouthpieces used as a treatment for sleep apnea are small, comfortable, convenient and extremely portable with no tubing, no mask, no electricity, and no noise!

Almost half of adults snore. And the problem is worse with obese persons.

What causes snoring?
Snoring occurs when there is a partial obstruction to the free flow of air through the mouth and nose at the opening of the airway at the back of the throat. The sound occurs when loose structures in the throat, like the uvula and soft palate vibrate as air passes over them.

Snoring can get worse when lying on your back, from the gravitational forces pulling the tongue and jaw backward to constrict the airway opening. and when the muscles in the back of the throat are too relaxed either from having

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

or drugs that induce sleep or alcohol consumption.

Snoring can be serious both socially and medically.

Snoring can disrupt marriages and cause sleepless nights for bed partners.

How common is Snoring?
According to recent sleep studies, approximately 50% of the adult population, 30% of men and women over age 30, 40% of the middle-aged population, and 6% of children snore on a regular basis.

Snoring Facts

• Snoring can affect almost anyone
• Habitual snoring has been found in an estimated 24% of adult women and 40% of adult men
• Both men and women are most likely to snore as they age
• Alcohol, drugs, muscle relaxers, and tobacco products contribute to snoring for both men and women

• Obese or overweight people

  tend to snore because these is more fat tissue in the back of their throats
• Pregnancy can increase a woman's change of snoring
• An estimated 10-12% of children snore
• Snoring appears to run in the family

Is snoring dangerous?
Snoring is sometimes a cry for help from someone who is suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which deprives the body of proper oxygen, putting people at a higher risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and earlier onset of dementia.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

can occur in any age group, but the prevalence increases between middle and older age. It occurs in at least 4% of men and 2% of women similar in prevalence to

diabetes and asthma

. Men and women with large neck sizes, overweight people, and middle-aged and post menopausal women have a higher risk factor for developing Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

About 24% of men and 9% of women have the breathing symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea with or without daytime sleepiness.

About 80% to 90% of adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea remain undiagnosed!

According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA),

snorers have three times as many car accidents as non-snorers.

There are patients whose snoring has decibel levels as loud as jet engines and even some who have had neighbors in the apartment or even the house next door call the police to complain about the noise.

How Snoring Affects Those Around You
Your snoring most likely interferes with other people's ability to have normal sleep cycles leading to sleep deprivation. The primary effect of sleep deprivation is excessive daytime sleepiness.

A sleep deprived person is likely to fall asleep when forced to sit still in a quiet or monotonous situations such as during a meeting or class or as a driver of a car driving long distances or waiting at a red light.

This degree of severe sleepiness is a serious safety hazard causing drowsy driving and workplace injuries, industrial accidents and even death.

The other effects of sleep deprivation are widespread and include effects on our mood such as irritability, lack of motivation, anxiety, symptoms of depression and marital discord.

People's daily performance is most noticeably affected. It quite often is manifested as lack of concentration, attention deficits, slower reaction times, poor decisions, and increased errors.

Lack of energy, fatigue, restlessness, forgetfulness and lack of coordination are all signs you may be suffering from daytime fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea.

Studies have shown that repeated disruption of sleep patterns can cause sufferers to perform motor skills at or below the levels of individuals who are legally intoxicated! So even if you do not suffer from sleep apnea, it is likely that your snoring could be a real threat to your loved ones because impaired reactions while operating machinery or driving a car can lead to disaster or even death regardless of the cause.

How to quit or stop snoring
The good news is that specially trained sleep apnea dentists who work together with sleep physicians can help with effective treatment options to stop snoring and sleep apnea. The solution is a custom made adjustable oral appliance.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea are often eliminated or substantially minimized for almost all patients who use this oral appliance.

This will allow you and your bed partner to finally have a good night's sleep.

If you, or anyone you know or love snores, make sure it isn't hazardous to your health.

Help is readily available by seeing a sleep physician like Dr. Stern in Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill, who specializes in sleep apnea and qualified dentists that are trained in sleep medicine who will work together to treat this bothersome and potentially life threatening condition.

Dr. David J.Stern DDS., D, ABDSM is a Doctor of Dental Surgery and is Board Certified by The American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine as a Diplomat, a Member of The Canadian Sleep Society as well as a Member of the National Sleep Foundation (Washington D.C.) For more information please contact Dr. Stern or visit www.stoptosnore.com.