Weston Sleep Apnea Dentist on Getting Your Husband to Stop Snoring

Weston Dentist Explains How to Get Your Husband to Stop Snoring at Night 

If your husband's snoring is becoming a serious domestic issue, you need to arrange an appointment with Dr. Stephen J. Pyle DDS, Weston's snoring specialist. We all snore occasionally. Head colds, allergies and sinus problems can make all of us instant mouth breathers when we sleep and snoring can be a normal result of a blocked nasal passage.

But if your husband:

• Snores regularly and loudly
• Stops breathing for short periods of time
• Wakes up gasping for air
• Feels drowsy when he gets up in the morning and becomes easily fatigued during the day

Your husband may be suffering from a serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea occurs when the airway is blocked by collapsed soft tissue and/or the tongue. It cuts off oxygen to the brain and can lead to stroke, heart attack and even diabetes. As difficult as life has become for you thanks to his sleep interrupting snoring, your husband may be at serious risk.

See a Weston Dentist for Snoring?

That's not as counterintuitive as it sounds. A dentist who has been trained to identify the symptoms in the mouth and throat is in an excellent position to determine the risk during a routine dental exam. A dentist cannot diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but he can refer you to a sleep disorder specialist.

Treatment of OSA has traditionally been a forced air system called CPAP. This is a machine that forces air down the throat keeping the airway open. It sends the forced air via a hose to a mask the patient wears at night. If you thought his snoring was disturbing, wait until he climbs into bed with a mask and hose.

The second treatment is a dental appliance, a far more natural treatment available from Dr. Pyle's practice. The custom made appliance fits in the mouth and slightly repositions the jaw. Wearing the appliance does not impede speech and even allows drinking of liquids. This therapy, understandably, has a much higher acceptance rate by patients than the CPAP system.

While snoring sounds innocuous we know the stress it can cause in a relationship. When neither partner is getting sufficient sleep spats and disagreements are almost inevitable. However, if the snoring is caused by sleep apnea there is a relatively easy fix.

If you think your husband may be suffering from sleep apnea, call our Weston dental office today and arrange an evaluation.