Why do I snore and what can I do about it?

Snoring is part of the group of sleep related breathing disorders with snoring at one end of the spectrum and Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) at the other. Screening and treating snoring can prevent sleep disturbances progressing to OSA and more serious health consequences.

Dr Charlotte Leigh graduated from the University of Leeds 2012 and works in general practice at Montagu Dental (Central London). After completing a MSc in restorative dental practice with distinction at the Eastman Dental Institute in 2019, she wrote her dissertation on "What do general dental practitioners know about Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?" - The answer is very little, and this inspired her journey. She shares her tips with us. 

Snoring is part of the group of sleep related breathing disorders with snoring at one end of the spectrum and Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) at the other. Screening and treating snoring can prevent sleep disturbances progressing to OSA and more serious health consequences.

Dr Charlotte Leigh graduated from the University of Leeds 2012 and works in general practice at Montagu Dental (Central London). After completing a MSc in restorative dental practice with distinction at the Eastman Dental Institute in 2019, she wrote her dissertation on "What do general dental practitioners know about Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?" - The answer is very little, and this inspired her journey. She shares her tips with us. 

Snoring happens when your airway becomes narrowed and the soft tissue of your nose, mouth and throat vibrate as you breathe in and out.

Why does your airway become narrow?

1) Anatomy
A narrow airway can be caused by a larger sized tongue, enlarged tonsils or an elongated soft palate. When these muscles at the back of the mouth relax during sleep the flap around as you breathe in and out causing snoring (noises). Some people may have a family history of snoring and this can be due to genetic factors such as a narrow jaw or large tongue. 

2) Age 

As we age our muscle tone reduces and this can cause all our muscles to relax contributing to a change in facial structure. 

3) Medications and Alcohol 

This can cause the oral muscles to relax and increase the likelihood of snoring as well as increasing the stress and pressure on the body.

4) Male

Anatomically, it is known that men often tend to have a larger oropharynx making snoring more likely.

5) Obesity 

Increase in soft tissue particularly in the oral/ neck area can reduce the airway space 

7) Disease , allergies or inflammation 

Any blockage or inflammation due to disease can reduce the airway space. 

Does it really matter how we sleep at night? We are told so many things about how to optimise our sleep quality but what about what we do when we are asleep?

Sleeping with your mouth open can actually be making your sleep quality worse. Mouth breathing or sleeping with the mouth open can be a lifelong habit and something we aren’t often aware of until we are told or we start delving into our sleep habits.

Mouth breathing can result from obstruction at any site of the upper airway. Mouth breathing can be a sign of nasal congestion, which may be temporary and not lead to significant health issues. Causes can range from nasal obstruction, nasal allergic disease and environmental pollution. Remedies such as saline nasal sprays and decongestants can help relieve the symptoms. Always speak to a pharmacist or doctor to find out which products they would recommend for you.

Chronic and continuous dry mouth due to sleeping with the mouth open can cause dental and other health complications. Often people with chronic dry mouth have higher risks of dental decay, gum disease, and tooth surface loss. Saliva is critical to keep the mouth clean and healthy. At night if you sleep with your mouth open the environment becomes very dry and any food left on the teeth (night tooth brushing is very important) will sit all night and can cause tooth decay. The pH of the mouth is altered and can cause plaque to accumulate and decay causing bacteria (streptococcus mutans) to thrive. 

Recent studies have shown that children who mouth breathe, often caused my enlargement in adenoids and tonsils are more likely to experience facial changes and experiences changes in their dental development which is likely to result in further intervention with orthodontics.

Placing a piece of soft porous tape (can often look like a piece of sellotape) over the lips at night time has recently become very popular, thanks to social media. Encouraging discussions about nasal breathing, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea is important, however I don’t encourage simply jumping on this trend without a thorough assessment first.

The goal of mouth taping is to encourage nasal breathing. Breathing through the nose allows the air to be filtered removing some particles and allergens, it also activates the body’s relaxing, stress-reducing parasympathetic nervous system. Mouth breathing can increase your risk of snoring, dental decay and often leave you with a dry mouth. 

It is imperative that if you or a sleep partner notices that you snore during the night (or you have any other symptoms such as tiredness and headaches), you may have OSA and you should talk to your doctor or dentist. 

Whilst mouth taping aims to encourage the habit of nasal breathing it is not a treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea, snoring or any other sleep disorder (symptoms vary and can include snoring, gasping for air, or breathing during sleep that starts or stops; sleepiness during the day, headaches and dry mouth) or another health issue may be causing you to snore. 

You may be breathing through your mouth because of a nasal problem such as blockage or nasal obstruction and need investigation by an ear nose and throat (ENT) doctor. 

Tape specifically designed to be used as mouth tape is less likely to irritate the skin, please do not use ordinary sellotape. Tape can irritate the skin around the mouth and lips so those with skin sensitivity or allergies should be more careful. Mouth taping is not for everyone.

In summary all snoring and sleep disturbances should be discussed with a medical professional first, so please do not ignore snoring. Some (very limited) recent research has shown and improvement in patients suffering with mild obstructive sleep apnoea. However it can worsen the symptoms and more effective treatment may be available.