Do you or someone you know breathe with your mouth open most of the time or snore loudly?  This condition, generally known as mouth breathing, is a reuslt of partial blockage of the nasal airway.  It can have a number of causes and can be the source of significant medical and dental problems. People who snore very loudly and/or seem to stop breathing for what seems  a long time, should be medically evaluated for a condition known as sleep apnea.  Once diagnosed with sleep apnea, a custom-made dental appliance is one of the most common means of correcting this problem, if it is diagnosed as a mild-moderate case.

Recently I was traveling with my Mother. Not only did she snore loudly, but she also was gasping for breath.  When I told her, of course she denied it, but I had video taped her with my camera.  Upon our return, I had her use our home sleep monitor with indeed confirmed her as having moderate sleep apnea.  I made her a Somnomed mouth guard which gently forces the lower jaw forward, opening her airway to a better nights sleep., and me too when I travel with her.