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Take away some of the daytime
effects of snoring...
If you partner’s a heavy snorer you’ll
know what a misery it can be. Snoring can affect the health of the snorer
too. In some cases, it is connected with sleep apnoea, in which the
sufferer actually stops breathing for a time; the result can be constant
daytime drowsiness and extra strain on the heart.
Now there’s a new system designed
to help you stop snoring: the Silensor - available from your dentist.
 What
causes snoring?
When the throat muscles relax in sleep,
they are less effective in holding your breathing passages open. The
soft sides of the airway tend to close in, and the air has to move faster
through a smaller space.
This causes vibrations of the soft
tissues which generate the noise of snoring. It has also been shown
that excess body weight, heavy alcohol consumption and other sedatives
or sleeping on your back can increase the severity of snoring.
Every person that suffers from sleep apnoea snores, but
not everyone who snores suffers from sleep apnoea.
If you have been heard to gasp for breath or have sudden
spells of drowsiness during the day then you should ask your doctor
to refer you to a sleep disorder clinic for further investigation.
How does the
Silensor system work?
The Silensor uses a pair of clear plastic moulding, shaped to fit you
teeth, which you slip into your mouth at bedtime. The top and bottom
sections are connected at the sides by short plastic links, which have
the effect of pulling your lower jaw slightly forward. This in turn
holds the airways open, reducing the constriction that causes the snoring.
How comfortable
is it?
At first, you may experience some stiffness in your jaw when you wake
up, but this soon wears off.
What if I wear
false teeth?
Unfortunately, if you have no teeth the Silensor cannot be fitted. If
you have a denture which only replaces some teeth, a Silensor may work:
ask your dentist for advice.
How
do I start?
Ask your dentist to help. To fit a Silensor, your dentist will take
moulds of your teeth, which will then be used to make your unique Silensor.
Once you are used to slipping it into your mouth before going to bed,
you and your partner should be able to
look forward
to some undisturbed
nights!
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