Snoring is a difficult problem. It is often due to a combination of many causes. All the medically recognised causes of snoring are listed within this website.

Over the years, many inventions from the simple to the ridiculous have been brought forward as "cures for snoring". The patent offices worldwide have been offered a wide and weird range of devices from the ridiculous to the tortuous since the patent process began.

Some examples include 'throat lubricants', moulded pillows and herbal sprays. Other popular methods are essentially variations on the WWI soldiers (and wives) 'trick' of sewing balls or cottonspools to the back of snorers' pyjamas. These work on the premise that preventing a snorer from sleeping on their back is going to stop them snoring. 21st Century adaptations of this idea are  'snoring-activated vibrating wristbands' that are activated by the noise of snoring, and deliver a shock or vibration to the wearer. These assume a snorer can be 'trained' not to snore, or forced to roll over in their sleep.

Snoring is not something which can be controlled or stopped by the sufferer. Its causes are discussed elsewhere in this site, however suffice to say that if people could stop themselves snoring, they would.

The 'Breathe-Rite' style of nasal strips worn by some sportspeople may help with air intake during sporting activity, but have not been demonstrated to be a cure for snoring.

Unfortunately, snoring is not a simple problem and almost all of these inventions fail to work. The dental applicance appears to offer help with both snoring and some cases of apnoea. Dental plates are available from dentists with a special interest in snoring. The tongue is attached to the lower jaw. Where the lower jaw is displaced backwards, as a result of development (e.g. a person with a small jaw) the air passage in the back of the throat is narrower. This allows snoring to develop.

When a dental appliance (or plate) is worn, these bring the lower jaw forward and in doing so, also bring the tongue forward and open up the air passage behind.

Devices like this have been shown to not only reduce snoring, but in some cases of mild to moderate sleep apnoea, also correct this problem as well.

For further advice on this, please see a sleep physician or a recommended dental surgeon knowledgeable in this area.

Surgery should rarely be the 'first option' taken in choosing a form of treatment, however it is important to view proposed 'cures' objectively (or skeptically as required) before placing too much faith in unproven or unlikely cures and treatments. Remember, anything "too good to be true" probably is!

A discussion with your doctor is the most appropriate course of action to follow. Snoring can be treated, but only if proper medical assessment and advice is sought