Anti-snoring mouthpieces are not new. They have been around in the market for over twenty years now. While there is no contention that they do reduce snoring to some degrees, they end up having some negative side effects too.
- TMJ disorders – Most anti-snoring devices hold the jaw in a forward position to eliminate snoring. This shift in position for a whole night consecutively for many nights has the potential to cause discomfort to the Temporomandibular Joints. This can cause pain on the jaw joint, tooth and ears too.
- Dry Mouth – By far this is the most common problem reported as a side effect using anti-snoring devices. Because most of the anti-snoring devices hold the jaw in a forward position, they cause opening of the lips. An open lips cause breathing through mouth which can result in dry mouth.
- Stiffness of jaw muscles – This is one another side effect that is possible. The adjustment to the jaw moves the jaw from its natural position and can cause stress on the muscles that control the jaw movements. This unusual stress can cause stiffness to the jaw muscles making mastication (chewing of food) a difficult task to perform.
- Grinding Teeth – Grinding of teeth is termed medically as Bruxism. While we are fast asleep with these anti-snoring devices on, our teeth may grind without our knowledge. The excessive grinding of teeth can cause TMJ pain, sensitivity and muscle pain in the jaw region.
The above are the general side effects and some more specific side effects like Loose teeth, tooth pain, gum pain etc, can occur in case to case basis.