Keeping yourself healthy

Mouth, teeth, and snoring

Teeth

It is reccomended that you use a tooth brush with soft bristles, brush an hour after eating, and only brush for no more than 1 min at a time. It's possible to only brush once per day, but it is reccomended to brush twice per day.

Floss at least once a day.

The foods that damage teeth the most are sugary foods, foods that get stuck between your teeth, and foods that are too hard to chew, such as ice.

Foods that are healthy for your teeth are fiber rich foods, dairy products, many teas, and foods with fluoride such as seafood.

Snoring

Snoring is often caused by airways in the mouth being restricted in sleep. Too much snoring means the airway is restricted too much too often, which can lead to a lack of oxygen getting to the brain, and poor mouth health.

Sleeping on your side is a good way to reduce snoring.

Lowering body fat reduces snoring.

Normal humidity levels reduce snoring.

Reducing consumption of alcohol and cigarettes reduces snoring.

Surgeries to alter the soft palate, tounge, or jaw can reduce snoring.

Mouth and tounge exercises can reduce snoring. These exercises are:

• Tongue Slide: Place the tip of your tongue against the back of your top front teeth. Slowly slide your tongue backward with the tip moving along the roof of your mouth. Repeat 5-10 times. This strengthens your tongue and throat muscles.
• Tongue Stretch: Stick out your tongue as far as you can. Try to touch your chin with your tongue while looking at the ceiling. Hold for 10 – 15 seconds and increase the duration gradually. Repeat 5 times. This increases tongue strength.
• Tongue Push Up: Stick your tongue upward against the roof of your mouth and press your entire tongue against it. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times. This helps improve both tongue and soft palate tone and strength.
• Tongue Push Down: Put the tip of your tongue against your lower front teeth and then push the back of your tongue flat against the floor of your mouth. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times. This helps improve both tongue and soft palate tone and strength.
• Cheek Hook: Use a hooked finger to lightly pull your right cheek outward, and then use your facial muscles to pull your cheek back inward. Repeat 10 times on each side. This can assist in closure of the mouth while breathing.
• Jaw Stretch: Tightly close your mouth by pursing your lips. Then open your mouth, relaxing your jaw and lips. Repeat 10 times. This exercise tones and strengthens the jaw as well as facial and throat muscles.

These exercises can be done several times per day.

Singing and other forms of vocal training also strengthen muscles in these areas, which help reduce snoring.