In Health Watch: Some people may laugh about it, but snoring is really not that funny.It can lead to a whole host of medical problems.Vivien Williams shows us how a special dental device is helping many patients get a good night's rest..Sharon Swenson says, "It took a few days to adjust to it, but now I will not go to sleep without it."The "it" that Sharon Swenson is talking about is a custom fit dental device she wears at night to stop snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea.Sharon says, "I woke up at 2 o'clock in the morning, 4 o'clock in the morning."Sharon was exhausted during the day. Her blood pressure was up, and because she was so sleep deprived, it was hard to cope with pain from an old back injury.Sharon says, "Walking, standing in the kitchen. Doing all these things that i do routinely was impaired by the fact that I had sleep apnea."You see sleep apnea and snoring can happen when your tongue and soft tissue collapse during sleep and obstruct your airway. C-pap machines push air in to keep the throat open.Dr. Kevin Reid says "Most people do well with c-pap. But those who don't love these things."Dr. Reid says this dental device is custom fit to your mouth. It works by very gently and slightly pulling the lower jaw forward to keep the airway open.Dr. Reid say,s "These are very effective at reducing snoring, primary snoring, even in the absence of obstructive sleep apnea."But before you get one of these devices, Dr. Reid recommends you talk to a sleep physician. That way they can determine if you have any conditions associated with sleep apnea such as cardiovascular disease.That's what Sharon did. And now her blood pressure is down, back pain is improved and she's much less tired during the day.Sharon says, "I am so relieved to be able to get a good night's sleep!"For Medical Edge, I'm Vivien Williams.For more information, visit the Medical Edge Website.You can find it at our Featured Links.