Mouth Guards for Sleep Apnea

What is Sleep Apnea?

It’s likely that you have heard of sleeping disorders such as narcolepsy and insomnia, but are you aware of sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where one experiences a temporary blockage of breathing during sleep. If you snore at night, notice silent pauses in your breathing while sleeping, experience choking or gasping sounds, have morning headaches, or feel tired even after waking up from a full night’s rest, then you may be one of the millions of people today that are living with undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea. 

Sleep Apnea Appliances

Apple Tree Dental creates custom sleep appliances called Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) to ease sleep apnea symptoms. The purpose of these sleep apnea appliances is to make your life easier by improving the quality of your sleep and reduce your symptoms of sleep apnea. This appliance acts as a splint that holds your jaw slightly forward while you sleep, holding the airway open and making it easier to breathe while you sleep. In addition to treating sleep apnea, these appliances can also help people that suffer from Bruxism (grinding teeth at night), jaw clenching, or that have a TMJ disorder. 

Sleep appliances are favorable for many reasons. One of those reasons is that they are much more comfortable and tolerable than devices such as CPAP masks that are also used to treat sleep apnea. Another reason this appliance is preferred is because there is less equipment, it is suitable for people who move a lot in their sleep. Lastly, sleep appliances are small, making them easy to travel with. Improve the quality of your sleep by contacting us today for a free sleep consultation and find out if this oral sleep appliance is right for you! 

How to Clean and Take Care of Your Appliance

There are many ways that you can clean your appliance. Non-alcohol based night guard cleaners are an easy way to sanitize your appliance in just one soak. Do not use any cleaning agents that contain alcohol, and never soak your appliance overnight! Hydrogen peroxide (3%) can be used to soak the guard for a thorough disinfectant cleaning. When soaking your appliance in hydrogen peroxide, make sure it is for no longer than 10 minutes. Using some toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles, you can clean the debris from the appliance then rinse it in some water. To keep the bacteria away, you can even use antibacterial soap and water to wash and rinse your guard. Make sure not to use dish soap, denture tablets, or anything that contains bleach! In addition to cleaning your appliance at least once a week, it is important you also store it properly. Rinse your appliance with warm water after using it, then store it in a ventilated case. To avoid the possibility of steam from the bathroom causing your mouthguard to warp over time, consider storing your appliance and case in your bedroom nightstand. 

We look forward to hearing from you and setting up an appointment to find out if an oral sleep appliance is right for you!