Being diagnosed with sleep apnea might be scary to you at first, but you should realize that it is a very common sleep disorder and that it is highly treatable. In fact, a lot of people treat this condition by wearing a mouth guard while they sleep. While this treatment option is not the best option for everyone with sleep apnea, it is a good option for many people, so here are several things to understand about using a mouth guard to treat your sleep apnea

How It Works

When you struggle with sleep apnea, you will likely snore a lot while you sleep, grind your teeth, and stop breathing. When you wear a mouth guard, it positions your mouth in a slightly different way than how you would normally position it when you are sleeping. This different position causes your throat to be opened just a little more than it would naturally be, and this position allows you to continue breathing all night instead of stopping every now and then.

Additionally, the mouth guard can stop you from snoring, simply because it keeps your throat open more, and it will stop you from grinding your teeth because it provides a layer of cushion in between your teeth. Wearing a mouth guard to bed every night could help you to wake up feeling more rested each day, and you might experience a lot of other great benefits, including less jaw pain and fewer headaches. You might also feel more alert, and you might feel better overall.

How to Get a Mouth Guard

There are mouth guards that you can purchase from the store and mold yourself, but this is not the best type to choose if you have sleep apnea because this type is just a general type. Instead, you should talk to your dentist about it. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, your dentist can custom-make you a mouth guard to wear at night. This type of mouth guard will be more durable for you and will be created in a way to treat sleep apnea. If you have dental insurance, your insurance might even cover the costs for the mouth guard, but this varies.

If you believe that you may have this disorder but you are not sure, you can find out by getting a sleep study. You should talk to your doctor about it, and you should talk to your dentist to learn more about treating this condition if you are diagnosed with it.

For more information, contact a dental clinic like Jerry C Hu DDS Family Dentistry LLC.