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What Causes Snoring? Snoring, Treatments and When to Visit Your Dentist
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring is among the most common sleep problems in the world, affecting millions of adults today. But most of the time you don’t know you’re suffering when snoring happens loud and often.
If you snore all the time, it can take a bad bite not only out of your own sleep and your partner’s but can also indicate an underlying health problem, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
For most, it will come as a shock when they encounter dentists who can help diagnose whether they have signs of sleep-disordered breathing. It can come up with oral or airway features on a routine dental exam that would be important for additional testing.
In this guide, we’re going to examine the cause of snoring, who becomes more easily affected and how you might reduce snoring — and when’s the opportune time to see a doctor.
Quick Answer
Snoring happens when your nose or throat is blocked from receiving air at night. The adjacent soft tissue vibrates and gives the classic snoring sound when the airway narrows.
Common causes include:
- Nasal congestion
- Sleeping on one’s back
- Excess weight
- Alcohol consumption
- Large tonsils
- Structural changes in the airways
In others, snoring is linked to obstructive sleep apnea.
What Is Snoring?
Snoring is the noise from air being partially obstructed during sleep as your muscles relax in sleep, and the airways narrow.
Passageways in this narrower space activate the soft tissues of the throat, soft palate and tongue to give a snoring-like vibration.
Occasional snoring is very frequent but harmless. But lingering, loud snoring demands attention — especially if it occurs in short breaks in between snoring when someone is breathing or when you, as a worker, are too tired to have a full day.
Common Causes for Snoring
Sleeping on Your Back
Lying on your back helps the tongue and soft tissue to fall backward; this narrows the airway.
Switching to a side-sleeping position will, on its own, reduce snoring for the majority of people.
Excess Weight
Too much tissue in the airway is pressured by the neck, causing it to narrow during sleep.
This is where keeping an overall healthy weight can alleviate snoring in some situations.
Nasal Congestion
Nasal passages that make it difficult to breathe through the nose can be blocked by allergies, colds, sinus infections or a deviated nasal septum.
This means the airflow will blow through your body in a turbulent fashion, increasing the likelihood of snoring.
Alcohol Before Bed
Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat more than normal.
This greater muscle relaxation may help the airway collapse and make snoring while sleeping loud.
Enlarged Tonsils or Adenoids
The airway can get narrowed in children but also in adults, for larger tonsils or adenoids.
That’s why consistent snoring should be examined by someone who does it on a routine basis.
Ageing
As we get older, the muscles behind the throat naturally become less durable.
This can increase the likelihood that airway vibration and snoring will develop.
The Jaw and Airway Structure
Some people have:
- A smaller lower jaw
- A narrow airway
- A large tongue
- A longer soft palate
Such structures would also predispose to snoring and sleep-disordered breathing.
Many of these features can be recognized by dentists in dental exams.
Are Snoring Always Signs of Sleep Apnea?
No.
Most people snore without having sleep apnea.
But frequent snoring, no matter how loud it sounds, is also associated with the following symptoms:
- Pauses in breathing during sleep
- Gasping or choking
- Morning headaches
- Dry mouth on waking
- Daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty concentrating
During a regular dental exam that you’ll have, your dentist will notice:
- Tooth grinding (bruxism)
- A scalloped tongue
- A narrow dental arch
- Dry mouth
- Jaw position that can worsen airway narrowing
Your dentist may advise further evaluation by a sleep physician or an oral appliance, if appropriate, in certain patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Measures That Can Help Decrease Snoring
Because treatment decisions are based on the underlying cause, these lifestyle interventions could help reduce snoring:
- Sleep on your side, not your back
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Avoid alcohol near bedtime
- Treat allergies and nasal congestion
- Set a regular sleep schedule
- If you smoke, give up smoking
- If you suspect a diagnosis of sleep apnea, follow the provider's instructions
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Most patients with chronic snoring seem to be oblivious to this phenomenon and think it is nothing serious.
Avoid these basic errors:
- Ignoring loud and frequent snoring
- Diagnosing sleep apnea on your own
- Taking only home remedies without evaluating
- Drinking alcohol before bed
- Turning your back on professional advice if during the day you get tired
Myths vs. Facts
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| Everyone snores, so it is normal. | Episodes of snoring are common, but regular loud snoring should be evaluated. |
| Only overweight people snore. | People of any weight can snore due to anatomy or obstruction of the nasal passages. |
| Snoring is always due to sleep apnea. | Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but snoring can be an important warning sign. |
| Dentists do not contribute to snoring management. | Dentists can identify oral signs of sleep-disordered breathing and help manage affected patients. |
When Should You See A Professional?
Talk to a health professional if you or your partner notice:
- Loud snoring most nights
- Pauses in breathing while you sleep
- Gasping or choking
- Excessive daytime tiredness
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
It is possible that these symptoms point to obstructive sleep apnea, and both medical diagnosis and treatment are considered necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
Snoring isn’t just noise.
While some snoring is common, you may notice that as you sleep your airway is narrowing if it’s prolonged or loud.
When determining the cause, it helps both your quality of sleep and your quality of life.
There are some lifestyle changes that can help these patients, but chronic snoring should never be overlooked—especially because it is characterized by obstructive sleep apnea.
Worrying about Snoring? Talk to My Smile Doctors, Parramatta
We really care about your teeth, your overall health and sleep.
On our examination, we can detect oral signs that could reflect sleep-disordered breathing.
We talk about whether this assessment or treatment might be good for you.
If you or your partner are concerned about ongoing snoring, take a visit to My Smile Doctors in Parramatta.
Our team is experienced, and helps provide you with the proper care and, for some cases, can work with your sleep doctors to ensure a better and more restful sleep as well.
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