Newington, CT -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/01/2013 -- Dr. Brian Bell explains, “Even though snoring seems physically harmless, it can be a red flag for a more severe and at times fatal condition known as obstructive sleep apnea.” This occurs when the airway completely deflates, obstructing airflow straight into the lungs. The harder one attempts to breathe, the tighter the airway closes. This airway obstruction persists until the brain partly wakes up the person. Unconscious, the person closes the jaw, returning the tongue as well as throat to a normal position.

Enduring the exhausting cycle of sleep apnea can take a toll on the sleeping person and the person who shares the same bed. The sleep apnea cycle starts with falling asleep, mouth relaxing, airway collapsing, a long duration with no airflow, unconsciously awakening along with a gasp and falling back asleep only to start the cycle again. “This can repeat itself fifty or more times per hour throughout the night. Along with a blocked air passage, the individual cannot receive adequate oxygen, and this can result in various other problems,” comments Dr. David Bell.

“Everyone knows about the harmful results of second-hand smoke, but do you know about how harmful second-hand snoring can be to you? Research shows that bedmates of nighttime rumblers receive as little restorative sleep as the snorer,” says Dr. Barbara Honor. Given that snorers can produce nearly 80 decibels of sound, a bed partner’s nightly blasts are louder than trying to get a good night’s sleep while strapped to a hand-held vacuum cleaner.

According to recent research by the Mayo Clinic and Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, people who sleep next to a snorer experience more chronic pain, fight against higher levels of fatigue, have more frequent episodes of conscious “blackouts” while driving, and might even be more likely to a develop hearing loss in certain frequencies. One alarming Mayo Clinic study showed that spouses of chronic snorers awakened an average of 21 times an hour, nearly matching the snorer’s rate of 27 times an hour being aroused from sleep.

For some patients, the solution to this scenario can be found in a specially fashioned piece of plastic worn in the mouth every night by the snorer and offered by a dentist, like Dr. David Bell, Dr. Barbara Honor and Dr. Brian Bell, specifically trained in treating sleep disordered breathing. An anti-snoring mouthguard moves the lower jaw into a more forward position, preventing the airway from closing and ending the resultant vibration of the soft tissues.

As a victim of second-hand snoring, consider visiting a qualified dentist at The Dental Center LLC. The dentists work very closely with local Primary Care Physicians, Otolaryngologists and Sleep Medicine Physicians to insure proper diagnosis and treatment. A solution accessible to many who snore or perhaps have sleep apnea is actually an oral appliance offered by Dr. David Bell, Dr. Barbara Honor and Dr. Brian Bell. An appliance is placed in the mouth and worn much like a sports mouth protector. The appliance prevents the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues at the rear of the throat so the airway remains open while asleep. By simply promoting enough air intake, the device allows snorers to get some rest.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s journal, Sleep, stated that, “Oral appliances are indicated for use in patients with obstructive sleep apnea who prefer oral appliances to a CPAP mask, or who do not respond to CPAP, are not appropriate candidates for CPAP, or who fail treatment attempts with CPAP or treatment with behavioral measures such as weight loss or sleep-position change.”

Oral appliances are associated with better compliance than CPAP systems for many patients. Oral appliances can also be used as first-line treatment for primary snoring that is not associated with obstructive sleep apnea.