While snoring can be a funny noise or even an irritating noise, it is most often not treated as a big deal. Some people snore, some people don’t.
But did you know that if you are chronically snoring, especially loudly, it could be an indication of sleep apnea? This is also true if you are waking up often in the middle of the night. Some people think their snoring is what is waking them up, but it could actually be airway obstruction.
So how are snoring and sleep apnea connected? Let’s find out.
Snoring Can Indicate an Airway Obstruction
Sometimes snoring happens when your body is struggling to get air as it sleeps, so it breathes louder or snores while you are asleep.
Your body struggles to breathe because your airway is slowly collapsing as you sleep. Sometimes snorting in your sleep, snoring, or gasping can indicate that your airway is collapsing as you sleep. If it fully collapses, you will wake up. Snoring consistently is one sign that you should get your airway and sleep patterns checked out.
Going in for a visit before you actually start experiencing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a good idea. Fairchance Dental in Fairchance, PA, treats OSA and other airway conditions before they start affecting your whole life!
Other Sleep Apnea Symptoms
If you have OSA or another sleep disorder, snoring is often paired with other symptoms such as:
- Daytime drowsiness
- Irritability throughout the day
- Headaches and migraines
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
This is true of both children and adults struggling with affected sleep.
Snoring in Children
Sometimes kids snore too. It can be cute at first, but snoring in children is more of a marker for pediatric airway concerns, so it is important to get it checked out too.
It is less common for children to snore, which is why if they are snoring you shouldn’t just brush it off as something cute. We can conduct X-rays and non-invasive sleep tests on your child to ensure that their snoring is not waking them or that they do not have a collapsing airway.
Pediatric Airway Treatment
Fairchance Dental Arts is one of the only places in the Fairchance area that has doctors with dedicated training in pediatric airway therapy; they can treat pediatric sleep apnea and sleep disorders.
Don’t ignore your child’s snoring, make sure they have a healthy airway by contacting us for an exam and sleep study.
Treating Snoring
Snoring itself is not a health concern if it is not linked to an airway disorder or sleep apnea. However, we understand that snoring might be irritating for your bedmates or disruptive to good rest. Dentists can create custom snoring appliances to reduce the amount of snoring and the volume of snoring.
If your snoring is linked to an airway disorder, our oral appliances can reduce snoring and the number of times you wake up in the middle of the night.
If your OSA or snoring is particularly intense, we will also work with an ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist to ensure that you are receiving the best sleep you can!
Non-Invasive Sleep Testing
A non-invasive sleep test is one of the easiest ways to determine if you are having airway concerns while you sleep. These sleep tests can be conducted by having you wear a special ring or other device that will monitor your heart rate and your oxygen levels. We will work with your primary care doctor or a specialist to help you receive testing and if necessary, a diagnosis.
Rest Peacefully with Fairchance Dental Arts
We can help with your snoring and sleep apnea concerns. If you have questions about beginning your sleep apnea treatment or diagnosis, please reach out! We will work with you to give you a better night’s rest.
