Cosmetic Dentistry Directory Blog

Snoring is a common sleep habit and many people snore just occasionally, perhaps when they are sleeping particularly deeply and do not move around in their sleep.

The sound of snoring is caused by throat and/or nasal tissue vibrating. The airway (trachea) has several structures close to it such as the uvula and tonsils that can vibrate when air passes by them. The uvula is suspended behind the soft palate and extends downwards centrally in front of the airway. It is used by some languages but not English. The tonsils are at each side of the back of the throat and are part of the immune system, designed to detect and fight infection. They can become enlarged and affect breathing.

In addition, the tongue can fall back against the airway while you sleep, making it more narrow by resting against it. These soft tissues vibrate, creating the snoring sound by creating sound waves in the air. The snoring sound becomes louder if the airway is partially blocked by the tongue because the narrowed airway causes you to breathe harder to get enough air into the lungs. That causes more tissue vibration and therefore larger or faster sound waves.

When a person is overweight, there is extra fatty tissue around the throat area and this can also add to the snoring sound. It can also further compress the airway and obese people are indeed more likely to suffer from sleep apnea.

Studies have suggested that more men snore than women - about 45 percent as opposed to about 30 percent. Snoring can happen at any stage of your nightly sleep. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is deeper than non-REM sleep because the brain signals all the body's muscles to relax except breathing muscles and the heart. That can narrow the airway and cause or worsen snoring; but you can snore during non-REM sleep too.

If you are a habitual snorer and would like to have a snoring treatment, your dentist can have a customized appliance made for you to wear while asleep. To learn more, please contact a qualified dentist near you - you can contact us to find one or use the map below.