Anti-snoring devices denied to NHS patients

A RUGBY-STYLE gum shield that has proved an effective cure for snoring is being denied to sufferers because of an NHS funding wrangle, dentists have claimed.

An unpublished study in Tayside has found that the device, which enables sufferers to breathe normally, proved beneficial among 80 per cent of those taking part.

However, dentists said that the splints, which cost 150 to 200 each, are not available on the NHS because officials view them as a dental solution to a medical problem.

The mandibular advancement appliance devices fit inside the mouth to keep the lower jaw pulled forward during sleep. This pulls forward the base of the tongue and keeps the airways open. The action prevents snoring, which is caused by soft tissue vibrating as the sufferer breathes open-mouthed while asleep.

It is not known what proportion of the population is prone to snoring, but it can cause sleeplessness and a strain on some marriages. In the most serious cases - called sleep apnoea - sufferers stop breathing for short periods.

Dr Jimmy Steele, a senior lecturer in dentistry at Newcastle-upon-Tyne University, said sufferers were being forced to pay for the devices privately.

The Tayside study also found that 60 per cent of those taking part said the devices had been successful, two years after they started using them.

The appliances, which are made for each sufferer, were also judged to be comfortable by 70 per cent of patients.