Stopping snoring starts with finding its cause, because side sleeping, nasal treatment, and custom oral appliances each address a different type of airway narrowing.
I’m Dr. Gregory Mark, and at my Forest Hills office the first thing I ask a patient who snores is what their partner hears. A pause followed by a gasp sends us toward a sleep study, and steady snoring opens up simpler fixes.
| Method | What it does | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Side sleeping | Keeps the tongue from falling back toward the throat | Back sleepers whose snoring eases when they roll over |
| Raising the head of the bed about 4 inches | Changes the position of the head and neck during sleep | Sleepers who end up on their backs anyway |
| Skipping alcohol within 2 hours of bedtime | Keeps alcohol from over-relaxing the throat muscles | Anyone whose snoring is louder after drinks |
| Nasal strips | Widen the nasal passage from the outside | Snoring tied to a stuffy or narrow nose. Nasal strips do not treat sleep apnea |
| Custom oral appliance | Holds the lower jaw slightly forward to keep the airway open | Adults diagnosed with primary snoring, or with sleep apnea when a sleep physician prescribes one |
| Mouth tape | Holds the lips closed to encourage nose breathing. Little data shows it works | Unproven, and a poor fit for a blocked nose or possible sleep apnea |
Is snoring normal, or is it a sign of sleep apnea?
Light, occasional snoring that leaves you rested the next day is common and usually harmless. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates that about 40 percent of adult men and 24 percent of adult women snore habitually, so a noisy night on its own is ordinary.
Heavy snoring deserves a closer look. The same academy notes that heavy snoring may be associated with sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing stops and restarts during sleep. The academy describes sleep apnea as a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Red flags:
- A partner hears your breathing stop, then restart
- You wake up choking or gasping
- You feel tired during the day after a full night in bed
Any one of those signs is a reason to see your physician or a sleep doctor and ask about a sleep study. A sleep physician makes the diagnosis. My part comes later, if an oral appliance ends up in the treatment plan.
What causes snoring?
Snoring is the sound of soft tissue at the back of the throat vibrating as air moves past it.
Think of a flag on a windy day. Pulled tight, the cloth stays quiet. Let it go slack and it snaps and flutters, and a stronger gust through a tighter gap makes more noise. Your soft palate and tongue behave the same way once sleep relaxes them.
Several things loosen that tissue or crowd the airway:
- Sleeping on your back
- Alcohol or sedatives near bedtime
- Congestion from a cold or allergies
- A structural issue in the nose, such as a deviated septum
- Too little sleep
- Getting older
- A family history of snoring
Body weight can play a part for some people, and that conversation belongs with your physician.
At checkups I look for the flat, worn edges left by teeth grinding at night, and finding them is my cue to ask how you sleep.
Why do I snore so loudly?
Snoring gets louder when the throat tissue is more relaxed or the airway is more crowded, as it tends to be on your back, after alcohol, or during a cold. Volume alone does not diagnose anything. Loud snoring paired with gasping or daytime tiredness is the pattern that calls for a sleep study.
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How do you stop snoring tonight?
Sleeping on your side, raising the head of your bed, and skipping alcohol near bedtime can quiet snoring tonight.
Side sleeping comes first. Lying on your back lets the tongue fall backward and narrow the airway, and rolling over is often enough. Sleepers who drift onto their backs can sew a tennis ball into the back of a sleep shirt, a trick Mayo Clinic describes.
Bed height is the second lever. Mayo Clinic suggests raising the head of the bed by about 4 inches.
Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles more than sleep alone does. Mayo Clinic’s guidance is to stop drinking at least 2 hours ahead of bedtime. Sedatives have a similar effect, so mention your snoring to the doctor who prescribes them.
Adhesive nasal strips widen the nasal passage and help some snorers with a stuffy nose breathe more easily. Nasal strips do not treat sleep apnea.
What is the best way to stop snoring?
The best way to stop snoring is the one that matches its cause. Position-related snoring responds to side sleeping, nose-related snoring to treating congestion, and jaw-related snoring to a custom oral appliance. Snoring with breathing pauses needs a sleep study first, because sleep apnea calls for medical treatment.
Recommended: Track seven nights in a sleep journal. Note your sleep position, any drinks, congestion, and what your partner heard. The notes give any doctor or dentist something concrete to work from.
How do you stop snoring naturally over time?
Lasting improvement comes from habits that keep the airway open night after night.
- Sleep at least 7 hours a night, the adult minimum Mayo Clinic cites
- Ask your doctor about chronic congestion, which forces mouth breathing
- Quit smoking, which Mayo Clinic says may reduce snoring
- Keep alcohol early in the evening as a routine
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine also lists weight loss among its first-line steps for people who snore. Your physician is the right person to say if that applies to you and how to approach it.
Can I train myself to stop snoring?
You can train the habits around snoring. Side sleeping can become routine with a body pillow or a tennis ball sewn into the back of a sleep shirt. Earlier nights and alcohol-free evenings take practice too. Habits will not correct a structural cause such as a deviated septum, which needs a physician’s evaluation.
Is snoring 100% curable?
Snoring has no single cure, because snoring is a symptom with several possible causes. Some causes resolve fully, such as a cold or a back-sleeping habit. Others are managed night by night, the way an oral appliance or a CPAP machine works only while you use it. Quiet, healthy breathing is the goal, whichever route gets you there.
Does a mouth guard for snoring work?
A custom mouth guard for snoring, also called an oral appliance or mandibular advancement device, is a recommended treatment for adults who snore without sleep apnea. The appliance holds the lower jaw slightly forward so the tongue and soft palate are less likely to block the airway.
A joint guideline from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine recommends oral appliances for adults with primary snoring, meaning snoring without sleep apnea, over leaving it untreated. The same guideline says a sleep physician should make that diagnosis, since snoring is a main symptom of sleep apnea.
In my office, a snore guard starts with an impression of your teeth, and the appliance is made to fit them. Getting used to wearing one takes a little time. Mayo Clinic lists excess saliva, dry mouth, jaw pain, and facial discomfort as possible side effects, which is one reason follow-up visits matter.
Boil-and-bite mouthpieces sold online also push the jaw forward. Using one without supervision means no one is checking your bite for changes, and a quieter night can hide sleep apnea that was never diagnosed.
A night guard for grinding is a different device. Night guards cushion the teeth and leave the jaw where it is, so they are not designed to treat snoring.
For patients already diagnosed, a sleep apnea mouth guard follows the same forward-jaw principle and is prescribed by a sleep physician.
Do mouth tape and other snoring products work?
Mouth tape, chin straps, and most anti-snoring sprays have little clinical evidence behind them.
Mouth tape and chin straps aim to keep the mouth closed and push breathing through the nose. An Ohio State sleep medicine specialist notes there is little data on whether mouth tape works, and cautions that it may be a poor choice for anyone with nasal obstruction or undiagnosed sleep apnea.
Sprays and homeopathic remedies fare no better. Mayo Clinic says most products of that kind have not been proved effective in clinical trials.
What happens at a snoring evaluation at Forest Hills Dental?
A snoring evaluation at Forest Hills Dental starts with an exam and a conversation, then follows five steps.
- I examine your mouth and check for signs of nighttime grinding
- If I suspect a sleep disorder, I recommend a sleep study, which many patients can complete at home with a portable device that tracks pulse, snoring, respiratory rate, and oxygen levels
- A sleep physician reviews the data and makes the diagnosis
- If a snore guard suits your case, I take an impression of your teeth and have the appliance made
- A few short follow-up visits adjust the fit, and a sleep journal records how well the appliance is working
Not sure what kind of snorer you are?
Bring a week of sleep notes to Forest Hills Dental. I’ll help you sort out if position, your nose, or your jaw is behind the noise.
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TL;DR
- Snoring is tissue vibrating in a narrowed airway, and the right fix depends on where the narrowing is.
- Side sleeping, a bed head raised about 4 inches, and no alcohol within 2 hours of bedtime cost nothing to try.
- Gasping, choking, breathing pauses, or daytime tiredness call for a sleep study with a physician.
- Custom oral appliances are recommended for adults with primary snoring, and a sleep physician makes that diagnosis.
- Mouth tape and most over-the-counter snoring products have little evidence behind them.
Snoring that outlasts side sleeping and an early last drink is ready for a look.
Bring your notes and your partner’s observations. I’ll tell you if the next step is a sleep study, a snore guard, or a visit to your physician. Pricing is quoted after an assessment, and our financial coordinators review your insurance coverage first.
Frequently asked questions
How do you stop someone from snoring?
Start by telling them, since many people who snore do not realize it. Suggest side sleeping and skipping alcohol near bedtime, and write down what you hear for a week. Gasping, choking, or pauses in breathing mean the next step is a physician visit and a sleep study, and your notes will help.
Do mouth guards help with snoring?
Custom oral appliances are a recommended treatment for adults who snore without sleep apnea. The appliance holds the lower jaw slightly forward to keep the airway open during sleep. A night guard made for teeth grinding is a different device and is not designed to move the jaw, so it does not serve the same purpose.
Does mouth tape stop snoring?
Mouth tape has little research behind it. Tape keeps the lips closed to encourage nose breathing, which may quiet some snorers, and it is a poor choice for anyone with a blocked nose. Sleep apnea should be ruled out first, because a quieter night can hide a breathing problem.
Can a dentist diagnose sleep apnea?
A sleep physician diagnoses sleep apnea, using an overnight lab study or a home sleep apnea test. A dentist can spot signs during an exam, recommend testing, and fit a custom oral appliance once a physician prescribes one. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine guideline describes that shared arrangement between the two professions.
Does insurance cover a snoring appliance?
Coverage for a snoring appliance varies by plan and by diagnosis, so no single answer applies. At Forest Hills Dental, our financial coordinators request a detailed breakdown of your benefits and show you the expected costs up front. CareCredit financing is available for amounts your insurance does not cover.