Snoring can make life miserable for you and your bed partner. Not only can it affect your romantic relationship, but the effects that it has on your daily life can be serious. Snoring can lead to daytime sleepiness and affect your sex life.
However, the fact that you are already looking at different types of anti-snoring devices is a step in the right direction. The good news for you is that there are several different types of anti-snoring mouthpiece that you can choose from.
However, some of them are proven to be more effective than others, so how will you know which is the right kind for you?
Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece: An Overview
For this reason, you should know what you are looking for. Not all anti-snoring devices will work for you, and there are some that do not even work at all. Dental devices are among the oldest and most advanced types of snoring solutions.
Medical experts, dentist and the designers of these devices have invested a lot of time to make these types of snoring solutions as comfortable as possible for the user.
The reason why these anti-snoring apparatus was designed was due to the process that led to snoring. People wanted to find out what the underlying cause was that triggered the loud noise.
In the past, there wasn’t much that you could have done to prevent snoring. In fact, there is no quick fix to this problem. There are two types of oral appliances that will prevent you from snoring while you sleep. Both these devices work in different ways.
- Type 1: Jaw retaining or jaw holding mouthpiece
- Type 2: Tongue retaining or tongue holding mouthpiece
Both these devices are proven to be effective, and have few if any side effects at all. However, how will you know which type will be best for you? It is important that you learn the differences between these two types of devices in order for you to know which one will be the right kind for you.
Type 1 – Jaw Retaining
For those that have previously made use of an athletic mouth guard and molded it to their teeth will know what to expect from this type of mouthpiece. Actually, these types of devices resemble an athletic mouth guard.
A Rough Start
For many years, medical experts believed that snoring was brought on directly by the jaw. While this can be true, there is no real evidence. Some of the very first jaw retaining mouthpieces has been produced using only dental wire and very hard plastic.
In other words, the old one’s resembled dental retainers. The reason for this is because each of them needed to be made and fitted by the dentist on a custom basis. As a result, they were very expensive.
Back then; these devices came with a lot of expenses, including dental fees per hour, fittings, examinations as well as the material. And on top of that, most insurance providers didn’t cover these types of apparatus.
Furthermore, if these devices aren’t working for you, the process had to be repeated again. As a result, they were not that popular. Eventually, jaw retaining mouthpieces were available to all who needed it. Thus, they were sold at a more affordable price; however, it was pretty much impossible to have each of them fitted by a dentist.
This is how the boil and bite process came into play. By designing the anti-snoring mouthpiece from what is known as a thermoplastic, each of them can be custom fitted free of charge by the user.
The moment these oral devices had been developed by private organizations for some time, the competitiveness started. Prices immediately dropped, however the best part about competition is that it causes businesses to improve their products. As a result, every snorer had access to a wide range of options. Snores can now choose from the basic boil and bite mouth guard, all the way to an advanced mouthpiece designed with two separate moldable pieces using titanium screws and micro adjustments.
Is this type of devices effective?
Jaw retaining devices work well if you snore due to your jaw or something your jaw is directly linked to. The main problem is that only a few people snore due to their jaw. You will find that there are several different things that can trigger snoring. For example, people can snore due to large throat structures, among other things.
And there doesn’t even have to be anything out of place, if anything is larger than what it should be, this is a good enough reason to make people snore. With that being said, Jaw holing mouthpieces are good products and a very effective anti-snoring device. There are really some bad products available on the market that doesn’t work at all, but there are also some very good ones. A good quality mouthpiece will most likely work for almost 7 out of 10 people. Please keep in mind that it can help, not cure the problem completely. Those 7 people would notice that they snore less, but I do not think that they would completely stop snoring.
Possible Side Effects
There are a few things you should understand if you are thinking about buying this type of anti-snoring mouthpiece.
Facial Pain
These oral devices can lead to facial pain and can give you an over or under bite. As soon as you have developed these problems it will become your dentist’s problem. When this occurs the dentist will be the only one that can assist.
Furthermore, there are also other things that you should be familiar with. For example, make sure that the device you buy is FDA approved, or that the material used for the product is hypoallergenic.
Saliva issues
Extensive drooling as well as choking on one’s own saliva is usually a consequence of using this device. This is because the muscles are working all night while you sleep. When this takes place you are only left with two possible outcomes:
- You will wake up because you will be choking on your own saliva
- You wake up with your pillow wet and most likely an angry bed partner.
However, with the more advanced mouthpieces this isn’t really a concern and it does not occur with most of the two piece models.
Pain in your mouth and jaw
It is to be expected that you will experience some discomfort in your mouth and jaw during the first few days after using the device. This is to be expected and is a natural process. Your body only needs some time to adjust to the device being present. However, if the pain still persists after two weeks, then you need to carefully think about whether you want to continue using the device. This kind of anti-snoring mouthpiece can also lead to persistent jaw pain.
Do you have a gag reflex?
In addition, if you experience any type of gag reflex this device will probably not be the best choice for you. Most of these types of anti-snoring mouthpieces, especially the ones that are cheaper, stretch entirely to the back to cover your molars.
However, with the new and improved designs, this problem is something of the past. Thanks to the new improvements in the material and the upgrade in the adjustment features, these devices are now working really well. Nevertheless, all the above mentioned conditions are still risks and side effects that one can expect from using a jaw holding device.
Type 2 – Tongue Retaining
Overall, tongue retaining devices are very comfortable and are very effective for many people. This type of mouthpiece normally does not require the user to fit it, and it would seem that it looks much better on the snorer when asleep. In addition, users do not have to be concerned about choking or gagging due to the effectiveness of this type of device.
How Tongue Retaining Mouthpiece Works
Usually, a tongue holder will be attached to the tip of your tongue somehow. The most common way is by using a vacuum designed by a tube or cup that covers the very tip of your tongue. For this reason, some of these devices actually look like a baby’s pacifier.
When you look at it, you will notice that your tongue takes up much space within your mouth. In most cases, snoring takes place when the tongue is flipped backwards which causes the airways to block while you sleep, leading to snoring. This anti-snoring mouthpiece works by gently pulling your tongue forward in order to keep the airways open.
Major advances
Eventually, doctors came to the realization that the jaw might not be the main explanation why people are snoring. They discovered that the tongue is normally among the biggest factors that cause snoring. These types of anti-snoring devices were originally designed about ten years ago. However, the original designs were actually successful.
These devices quickly became accessible to people across the world via the internet. And as a result, they grew in popularity and led to immediate competition. The truth is, the original design was already a huge success, and it is only because of competition that they keep on improving.
Impressive Results
The tongue retaining mouthpiece actually works by addressing the problem. It has been proven to be effective with a success rate of 90% of people actually eliminating their snoring problem. Now, that is rather impressive when you compare it to any other type of snoring solution.
Now, if you are suffering from persistent and loud snoring, you should know what a CPAP is. There have been reports that some CPAP users have managed to change to this device. Certainly you should also be aware of the fact that the problem had to be serious for a person to end up with CPAP to start with. For me personally, this is the most impressive thing about these oral devices. They work extremely well and are clinically proven.
A Very Safe Alternative
When it comes to a tongue retaining mouthpiece, you really have nothing to be concerned about. Yes, I’m not exaggerating. Even if you have a gag reflex, there is no reason for you to be concerned.
There is not a single part of these devices that will reach your throat. In fact; there is no reason for you to be concerned about any facial pain, bite and teeth problems, or your jaw.
With these types of oral devices, the only places that it will reach are the outside of your lips and your tongue. The only, possible side effect of this device is that is can lead to tenderness on the tip of your tongue. However, this only last for a few days.
These devices are your best option for a snoring solution, as it is practically risk free. I can personally say that I never had any bad experience from using these type of devices and I never heard any complaints from other snorers either.
It is just the case that some people have their own preferences. But they also have their own preference when it comes to food, music, sport and so much more.
My Experience with Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece
I use the SnoreMeds and with good reason. It is one of the very few tongue holding mouthpieces on the market. The main reason I use it is for the fact that it targets the snoring from multiple angles instead of focusing only on one angle.
This is truer for the tongue retainers. In case your snoring is caused by multiple factors, then a tongue retaining device is certainly your best option.
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Also, if you know that your snoring is brought on by your tongue, then this will also work well for you. A tongue retaining device will ensure that your tongue stays in place and will prevent it from hanging towards your throat. Unfortunately, the jaw retaining device will not be able to do this.
Furthermore, if you tend to sleep with an open mouth, then you will also greatly benefit from these types of oral devices. In this case, the oral device works by keeping your mouth in the correct position. And this is true for both types of these devices.
My Opinion
In my personal opinion, I would recommend the tongue retainer to all snores as it is more effective than the jaw retainer with less to no possible side effects at all. The tongue retainers also work for a greater percentage of people and the possibility that it will work for you is almost certain!
Some of these anti-snoring mouthpieces have been proven to treat sleep problems, including sleep apnea. If you were to ask me if a jaw retaining mouthpiece would prevent you from snoring I would say absolutely, but the chances of eliminating your snoring problem is far
This is only my opinion, however, it has also been confirmed through research that the tongue retaining mouthpiece is a much more effective anti-snoring device. When asked for advice, I would always recommend the tongue retaining device, every single time. Not only are they effective, they are advanced and in my opinion the most comfortable snoring solution available.