What to Consider When Buying an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece

Did you know that 37 million Americans snore regularly and 90 million snore occasionally? Snoring isn’t just a problem with affecting partners – it can disturb your own sleep, and the increased tiredness can even affect your job.

A snoring mouthpiece can help, but how can you find the best snoring mouthpiece? Here are some tips to consider when buying an anti-snoring mouthpiece.

First, let’s discuss what causes snoring and how the two main types of anti-snoring mouthpieces differ from each other and how they work.

What Causes Snoring?

To better understand how anti-snoring mouthpieces work, it helps to understand what causes snoring. Snoring is caused by an obstruction of airflow in either mouth or nose while you sleep. There are several things that can lead to obstruction, like:

• Anatomical problems such as bulky throat tissue or a long soft palate and uvula can block your airways. While you’re typically born with a long soft palate or uvula, bulky throat tissue can be caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids or being overweight. 
• Overly relaxed tongue or throat muscles can result from sleeping pills, normal aging, deep sleep, or drinking alcohol.
• Blocked nasal airways can be the result of things like a deviated septum, nasal polyps, or congestion from a cold or allergies.

Many, but not all of these things can be managed with an anti-snoring mouthpiece. Other problems may need more intense fixes such as surgery or a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

The Types of Anti-Snoring Mouthpieces

The two main types of anti-snoring mouthpieces work differently and are better for different people. With help from Sleepyhood.com, let’s talk about the mandibular adjustment device (MAD) and the tongue stabilizing device (TSD).

Tongue Stabilizing Device (TSD)

Since one cause of snoring is your tongue falling into the back of your throat and obstructing your airway, the tongue stabilizing device can be a great way to help stop your snoring. The main problem with the tongue stabilizing device is that you must be able to breathe through your nose. That means it’s not a great choice for people with chronic congestion or a deviated septum.

Mandibular Adjustment Device (MAD)

For people who need to be able to breathe through their mouth, the mandibular adjustment device is a better option for keeping your tongue out of your throat. Instead of pulling just your tongue forward, it pulls your entire lower jaw forward. While some people find this style uncomfortable, you are still able to breathe through your mouth.

What to Consider When Buying an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece

Once you’ve decided whether you should go with a mandibular adjustment device or a tongue stabilizer device, you can pick a specific mouthpiece in that style. Here are some things you should consider when buying an anti-snoring mouthpiece.

Customization

This is especially important for people who choose a MAD. Placing the jaw too far forward can cause jaw or mouth pain, while a device that doesn’t pull your jaw far enough forward won’t be as effective at eliminating your snoring. Many MAD devices allow you to boil them multiple times so you can find the perfect fit.

Smaller is Better…

A mouthpiece that’s too large can be very uncomfortable. If you stop wearing it due to discomfort, it can’t help your snoring. Look for a mouthpiece that’s no more than ¾” tall in the front to avoid irritating rubbing on your gums.

…Except When it Comes to the Breathing Hole

Small breathing holes can whistle when you breathe. Worse than that, if you can’t breathe well through your nose, it can feel like sucking air through a straw. Try to find an anti-snoring mouthpiece with a large breathing hole.

Look for a Try Before You Buy Warranty

It can be difficult to find the best mouthpiece. Don’t get stuck with one that doesn’t work – some companies allow you to just pay for shipping and try a mouthpiece out for a period of time (usually 30 days) before charging you for it. If you don’t like it, you just ship it back. This is the best way to try multiple anti-snoring mouthpieces before settling on the best one for you.

We hope that these tips will help you find the best anti-snoring mouthpiece that helps both you and your partner get better sleep. With plenty of research and a little bit of luck, you can soon stop snoring and enjoy an improved quality of life without it affecting partners.

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