The connection between your airway, sleep, snoring and TMJ is a recent discovery. It’s so new that 99% of dentists and doctors are unaware of it.
Snoring and airway – yes. The bite and TMJ being part of the snoring problem? No!
POINT#1: It’s not just the sleep disorder docs who are unfamilair with this. Even “holistic” or “biological” dentists (the only ones I have recommended in the past) may know nothing about the snoring/bite connection.
POINT #2: Do YOU need to check this out? Well, are you tired? Sleep poorly? Have chronic pain, digestion, anxiety or immune problems? Do you snore? Have headaches or known TMJ problems that you hope are being treated properly?
If so, one place to start is by wearing an oximeter on your wrist to test oxygen levels and pulse during sleep. A few dentists and doctors have them to lend. Buy one on Amazon to keep, and test yourself anytime to monitor progress. (My numbers changed radically after only one month with a completely new nightguard designed to let my airway stay open).
Or, begin the search for a truly knowledgable TMJ/snoring dentist and go for evaluations until you find one that has the right answers. You’ll find a lot of tips on finding docs and asking the right questions on this blog post. You’re looking for someone who specializes in BOTH TMJ and snoring disorders, not just one or the other.
POINT #3: The unquestioned facts…
If you cannot get adequate air, you are oxygen-deprived. If you aren’t breathing properly during an 8 hour night, you will experience the effects of chronic oxygen and sleep deprivation. If you aren’t getting air steadily down your airway, you’ll be on a roller coaster of mini-sleep arousals as your body “startles” you towards wakefullness to breathe.
You will see that clearly on your Pulse Oximeter overnight test.
POINT #4: It’s possible to have a restricted airway and not snore loudly. But even a slight reduction in airway is enough to damage your health.
EXPERIMENT TIME!
What do the teeth, throat and jaw have to do with breathing? Simple mechanics! Try an experiment right now…
1). Tilt your chin slightly up in the air and breathe through your nose. Then…
2). Tuck your chin and breathe again. Feel that air compressed at the back of the throat?
3). Now, jut your lower jaw forward, and THEN tilt your chin down. Did that help?
If so, then THAT’S what we’re talking about. Simple, isn’t it?
Yet 99% of dentists and doctors treat snoring with a CPAP and/or surgery to the palate. Yow! Both seem utterly barbaric to me and neither actually FIXES the problem.
Allergies, and Inflammation of the tonsils and adenoids can also restrict your airway. That inflammation can be dramatically improved by getting off gluten and dairy (except ghee). For many people, the dietary change alone will completely reduce snoring, but it won’t change the bite problem if you have one.
I’ll be writing more on this issue, as the recent discovery of my own restricted airway, interrupted sleep and bite problems has been a revelation. My mind and body are experiencing changes already, and I have spoken with others who have had astounding improvements from vertigo, snoring, headaches, immune concerns and chronic fatigue.
Tune in for more and please read that last post for more references. Listen to my May 2014 Podcast on Natural Sleep Aids for more help falling and staying alseep.
Good luck to you!
