Snoring disrupts your sleep and your partner's, leaving you both tired, frustrated, and with increased risk for poor health.

The good news? There are many anti-snoring devices. 
The challenge? Figuring out which to get.

The most common anti-snore options range from oral devices to snore pillows to innovations in EPAP devices. 

In this review of the best anti-snore devices, you’ll discover how to choose the best device for you.

DISCLAIMER:

Over the last 10 years, I developed SnoreBuds and the SnoreSealer, which I believe are the best first options for most snorers. Am I biased? Of course. But I’ll explain why I believe every snorer should start with SnoreBuds, the SnoreSealer, or both before considering more expensive (or cheaper…), higher risk, more invasive and less comfortable options. With SnoreBuds and the SnoreSealer, the odds are you won’t have to look any further.

Anti-Snore Mouthguards and Oral Devices

How Anti-Snore Mouthguards and Oral Devices Work

Mouthguards (over the counter – such as SnoreRx, VitalSleep, and ZQuiet) and oral devices (provided by dentists) are popular anti-snore options.

After I graduated dental school, I opened a private practice exclusively dedicated to “Dental Sleep Medicine” which is treating sleep disordered breathing (snoring and sleep apnea) with oral devices.

NOTE: An article for another time, but I opened this unique practice because I learned how many people have poor sleep, how bad it is for your health, and how few good options you have. I felt there was nothing more important I could do than try and help people sleep better.

In my practice I used many kinds of oral devices to treat snoring and sleep apnea. But they all work in the same way. These devices move the jaw to a forward position which helps open the airway and reduce snoring. Most are adjustable, which means you can “titrate” it to your needs.

These anti-snore mouthguards and oral devices work. But they came with a few problems…

The Problems with Anti-Snore Mouthguards and Oral Devices

Tooth Movement

The first issue with anti-snore mouthguards and oral devices is that they can move your teeth.

As teeth move, it changes the way the teeth fit together. This malocclusion can lead to a host of problems like poor chewing ability, gum recession, and aesthetic concerns.

Further, because these devices can move teeth, they are high risk for people with periodontal disease, which is half of the adult population.

Jaw pain

Because the devices hold the jaw in an unnatural position throughout the night, people often experience TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain which can progress to TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction).

Re-Makes

These devices need to be custom fit to your teeth.

This is a major problem with over-the-counter anti-snore mouthguards because most people can’t do this themselves. You need a professional to take professional impressions to get a proper fit.

Assuming you get a great fitting device, it often means that if you need dental work in the future, like a new crown or a dental implant, the device needs to be re-made or re-fit, adding expense to an already expensive option.

Breathing Problems (Bulky/Uncomfortable)

Many of my patients complained the devices were bulky and not the most comfortable to wear.

A big plastic device forces your mouth to be unnaturally open, which then can ruin proper oral posture. At rest, your mouth should be closed, lips sealed, and tongue resting on the palate. This allows you to breathe properly.

Many of my patients had a hard time using proper oral posture with their oral devices and so they had a hard time breathing properly with these devices.

Costs

While over-the-counter anti-snore mouthguards can be cost-effective, I don’t recommend most these. If you want to go with a mandibular reposition device, I recommend going to a dentist who can oversee and choose the right oral device for you to help minimize the potential complications of tooth and jaw issues. However, these devices are expensive and poorly covered by insurance, if at all.

NOTE:  It was because of these limitations of oral devices, that led me to the epiphany of SnoreBuds and the creation of the SnoreSealer. 

Recommendation for Anti-Snore Mouthguards and Oral Devices: 3.5 / 5 Stars

While I don’t recommend using most of the over-the-counter anti-snore mouthguards due to the risks associated with self mandibular repositioning, oral devices provided by dentists do work.

The kind of oral device I recommend first-and-foremost is one that allows complete lip closure, helps to position the tongue on the roof of the mouth (where it is supposed to rest), while not exerting forces on the teeth and jaw that can lead to problems. This is exactly why I created the SnoreSealer. To check all of these boxes. It's my first recommendation for people who know they struggle with mouth breathing.

Anti-snore oral devices get 3.5 / 5 stars because they can work, they are adjustable which allows a degree of personalization, and they are less bulky and invasive than other options like CPAP machines, and so you can easily travel with them.

However, they come with risks such as tooth movement and TMJ issues. They also tend to be bulky, forcing the mouth to be too open which prevents the lips from closing and the tongue from sealing against the palate. This proper oral posture is critical to proper breathing and often these devices making it worse. Lastly, some are quite costly. 

DO: Get an evaluation from a dentist to see if you are a good candidate for an oral device. If you are a mouth breather, start with the SnoreSealer, it's the lowest cost, lowest risk, and likely most effective solution for you. 

DON’T: Use over-the-counter anti-snore mouthguards like SnoreRx, VitalSleep, or ZQuiet unless fully understanding the associated risks and ideally under the oversight of a dentist.

Nasal Breathing Aids: Nasal Dilators, Strips, and Mouth Tape

How Anti-Snore Nasal Breathing Aids Work

The second category of anti-snore devices are aids that help you breathe through your nose. I’m a huge fan of nasal breathing aids. Your sleep and your health require you to breathe properly, and that means through your nose, not your mouth.

If you have constrictions in your nose, like most people do, it can cause you to breathe through your mouth. Nasal dilators and nasal strips help open the nasal passages to allow for proper nasal breathing.

While you were born a natural nose breather — everyone is — if you’ve formed a habit of breathing through your mouth, considering an aid to re-train nasal breathing is a great idea.

The Problems with Anti-Snore Nasal Breathing Aids

Anti-Snore Ability

I’m an advocate of using these aids to help you to breathe through your nose when you sleep. However, their effectiveness at stopping snoring varies greatly.

They can help re-train proper breathing, which is an invaluable first step though.

Mouth tape can get you to close your mouth and retrain nasal breathing. However, it doesn't help position the tongue against the palate and many people find taping their mouth shut uncomfortable, causing dry, chap lips.

Nasal dilators can open blockages from a deviated septum or other constriction to make nasal breathing easier. But often this is not enough to significantly reduce snoring or turn a habitual mouth breather into a nasal breather.

Reusability

While some nasal dilators are reusable, many are not, and most mouth tapes and nasal strips must be disposed of after each use. Kind of wasteful, and the expense can add up compared to reusable options.

Comfort

Most of these nasal breathing aids are well-tolerated, though some people have issues with the adhesives used in mouth tapes and nasal strips.

Internal nasal dilators can take a few nights to get acclimated to. But overall, these are comfortable solutions.

Recommendation Anti-Snore Nasal Dilators, Nasal Strips, and Mouth Tape:  3 / 5 Stars

Many nasal breathing aids are affordable, non-invasive, easy to use options to improve breathing while you sleep. I’m a big fan!

If you are a mouth breather, the key is to achieve full lip seal and tongue resting on your palate. Mouth tape helps with the first, but not the latter. That's why I developed the SnoreSealer, it allows for complete lip closure while also generating a natural tongue-palate suction for proper oral posture and proper nasal breathing.

If you aren't a mouth breather, but just have trouble breathing through your nose, consider a nasal dilator. I prefer internal ones to external strips. However, when looking for an internal nasal dilator, you don't want the cone to go too far up the nose as your nose as it can impede the filtering, warming, and humidifying of the air that happens in the nose.

Remember, while it may or may not improve snoring, it will likely help your nasal breathing, which is a critical first step.

The reason they get 3 / 5 stars is because (alone) they aren’t super effective at stopping snoring.

DO: Give these a try if you are a mouth breather. For example, if you need to sleep with a glass of water on the bed stand or if you wake up with a dry mouth, these are signs you are mouth breathing. Consider a nasal breathing aid like the SnoreSealer to re-train proper nasal breathing. You can even use a combination of mouth sealer and nasal dilator.

Brands:

• Lip shield: SnoreSealer (mouth breathers - start here).
• Mouth tape: 3M Nexcare (second option)
• Nasal Dilator: Mute (or see SnoreBuds below)
• Nasal Strips: Breathe Right

DON'T: Don't expect these (alone) to solve your snoring problems completely.

NOTE: Chin Straps also fall into this category. They attempt to promote nasal breathing by strapping the mouth shut. While some designs are better than others, I’ve found that many of these push the chin backwards, shrinking the airway, making things worse. They are also ineffective (alone) at stopping snoring.

Positional Therapy: Snoring Pillows and Shirts

How Anti-Snore Positional Therapy Works

The next category of anti-snore devices is positional therapy. These are devices that get you to sleep on your side or move your head to the side.

When you’re sleeping on your back, gravity pulls the tissues in your throat back, which shrinks the airway and leads to snoring. By sleeping on your side, you can negate some of this.

The old school method of positional therapy was to sew a tennis ball into the back of a shirt. If you rolled onto your back, you would instantly be motivated to get back on your side.

Technology has advanced beyond the tennis ball though.

There are many different kinds of pillows to help keep you off your back, like full body side pillows and even head pillows.

For example, the SmartNora anti-snore pillow detects snoring and then adjusts your pillow to get you to stop snoring.

The Problems with Positional Therapy

Anti-Snore Ability

The main problem with positional therapy is that it is only effective with light snoring and for those who only snore when they are sleeping on their back. Most habitual snorers snore both on their back and their side, so these rarely solve the problem.

Comfort

A side pillow that prevents you from rolling onto your back is a simple option that can help. However, for those who don’t find sleeping on your side comfortable, this doesn’t work well.

Further, I’m not a fan of options that continuously disturb your sleep to stop the snoring. This is akin to your bedtime partner shaking you every time you snore. Because of this I don’t recommend products like the SmartNora pillow unless used as a slight adjunct to more effective options.

The goal is for you to get restful sleep throughout the night without being disturbed. A solution that works by disturbing you throughout the night isn’t the goal.

Recommendation for Anti-Snore Positional Therapies:  3 / 5 Stars

These range in affordability and invasiveness. For example, a side pillow is cheap and non-invasive, whereas the SmartNora pillow is pricey and invasive to your sleep. 

DO: Try and sleep on your side if you find it comfortable.

DON’T: Don’t expect these (alone) to solve anything beyond light occasional snoring.

CPAP Machines 

How CPAP Machines Works

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines are the gold standard for treating obstructive sleep apnea but are sometimes used for snoring too.

They work by delivering “positive pressure” which is a steady stream of air through a mask and down your airway forcing it open.

The Problems with CPAP Machines

Comfort

Most people cannot tolerate CPAP machines and prefer other options. The air pressure is uncomfortable, the masks leak, they’re bulky, noisy, require electricity, cumbersome to setup, difficult to travel with, and annoying to clean, and so most people avoid, quit, or seek other options.

Overkill

While CPAP is the gold standard for obstructive sleep apnea, it’s often overkill for snoring.

Prescription

CPAP machines require a prescription from your doctor. They will want you to do a sleep study before writing a prescription to rule out obstructive sleep apnea and to determine what pressure setting the CPAP machine should be set at, though auto-PAP machines can self-adjust this pressure.

Recommendation for Anti-Snore CPAP:  2 / 5 Stars

CPAP is rarely recommended for snoring due to the challenges associated with using it. It’s costly, requires a prescription and most people find it uncomfortable and cumbersome.

DO: If you think you have obstructive sleep apnea, do talk to your doctor. Get a sleep test and discuss with your doctor if CPAP is the right option for you.

DON’T: Don’t expect your doctor to prescribe CPAP for snoring before trying other options that are better tolerated, lower cost, and less risk.

NOTE: For similar reasons to CPAP, surgery is rarely recommended as a snoring solution. Success rates are low. Surgeries are painful, expensive, and invasive, often involving removing aspects of the soft palate, the tongue, or implanting nerve stimulating devices.

EPAP: BongoRx and SnoreBuds

How nasal EPAP Works

EPAP (Expiratory Positive Air Pressure) works by providing slight resistance to exhalation, which creates a longer, slower exhale, which in turn helps keep the airway open and stops tissue vibrations that cause snoring.

In essence, EPAP uses a similar mechanism to CPAP, but instead of a machine, it uses the power of your own breath to fix your breathing and stop snoring.

Nasal EPAP devices have a small valve that opens when you breathe in and closes when you breathe out. Your exhaled air will go through small vents. This is what creates the slight resistance and the slower exhalation that stops snoring.

The Problems with Nasal EPAP

The first ever nasal EPAP device was developed and approved by the FDA to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

Like many new technologies, it was a breakthrough but had a hard time breaking through due to a couple of issues.

Anti-Snore Strength

The first nasal EPAP device was developed to treat obstructive sleep apnea. It was high strength EPAP. Many patients had difficulty acclimating to this high strength straight away, and there was no way to adjust the EPAP strength down to help get accustomed to it.  

Prescription

Since nasal EPAP was only for sleep apnea, snorers could get it without a sleep test and a prescription from their doctor. This made it difficult to get and expensive.

Inhalation

While EPAP devices are designed to create a resistance to exhalation, early EPAP devices also tended to restrict inhalation through the nose. As I’ve discussed, you need to breathe through your nose. Anything restricting your ability to breathe in through your nose is bad.

Recommendation for nasal EPAP:  4 / 5 Stars

Nasal EPAP has had the potential to be the GO-TO anti-snore option, but has been held up by 2 main problems.

First, the early devices were made for obstructive sleep apnea only and not snoring. Therefore, they weren’t available to the general population, required a sleep study and a prescription, and only came in one high pressure version. There was no ability to turn down the strength for snorers, or to tailor the EPAP to your individual needs.

Secondly, they restricted nasal inhalation.

But while treating patients, I had an epiphany.

The solution to snoring is to use nasal EPAP but make it adjustable and combine the technology with a nasal dilator.

That’s the moment I started my journey to develop SnoreBuds, the 1^st nasal dilator EPAP device with an adjustable “Snore Strength.”

From the get-go, I imagined it would be for snorers. That way you could buy it on the internet or in a store without the need for a sleep test and prescription like the earlier EPAP devices for sleep apnea. This way it would be both convenient and cost-effective.

It took over 10 years, but my imagination came to fruition.

I was awarded the patent for “Nasal EPAP Dilators” and after 10 years of R&D SnoreBuds came to life.

SnoreBuds checks all the anti-snore boxes:

• It works.
• It’s comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective.
• It’s safe, effective, and well-researched.
• It’s adjustable so you can personalize your Snore Strength
• It’s available without a prescription or sleep test.
• It’s small, easy to travel with, and discreet.
• It’s reusable, reducing waste and costs.
• It’s the go-to anti-snore device. Nothing compares.

If you think I’m biased towards SnoreBuds, well, you’re right. It’s simply the best option for most people. But here’s some considerations before choosing SnoreBuds or any other anti-snore device.

How to Choose the Best Anti-Snoring Device 

Before choosing what anti-snore device is best for you, consider these 4 things:

Consideration #1: Is a Proven Anti-Snore Technology

Technology: If you’re serious about putting an end to your snoring, choose an option that is backed by research and proven effective.

Oral devices and EPAP are both clinically proven to reduce snoring.

Personalized: Your snoring is unique and requires a unique “Snore Strength” that fits you.

Oral devices can be titrated by a dentist so that it’s personalized to you.

While previous EPAP devices couldn’t be personalized, SnoreBuds has an adjustable EPAP dial, so that you can set your “Snore Strength” to your unique needs. You can even start at lower Snore Strengths to get acclimated, and turn up the Snore Strength as needed.

Warning: When I search anti-snore devices online, I see mostly ineffective options. Most are borderline scams, just fake products from China. I recommend products made in America.

Anti-snore medical devices are regulated by the FDA, which brings us to safety…

Consideration #2: Is it safe? What are the risks?

Anti-snore devices are often classified as medical devices and are therefore regulated by the FDA to ensure they are safe.

I see many devices for sale that did not go through the proper channels of registering with the FDA. Stay clear. If you’re putting something in your mouth or in your nose you should ensure it’s safe.

There is a significant body of research that shows both nasal dilators and EPAP are safe and effective.

SnoreBuds underwent rigorous testing, is FDA registered, has a robust quality management system, and uses all medical-grade materials that underwent biocompatibility testing.

Further, SnoreBuds was designed and developed in the United States by me and a specialized team of engineers who have spent their careers creating innovative medical products and adhering to the highest medical standards in the world.

If you decide to go with a mandibular repositioning device, work with a dentist who will choose the safest oral device, and keep an eye on tooth movement, bite changes, and TMJ function. Personally, if going with an oral device, I'd start with the SnoreSealer and only consider readjusting the jaw position after lower risk, lower cost options are tested.

Lastly, to undergo the rigor associated with medical devices that ensure safety, it’s impossible to sell a cheap product. So, if a product’s price seems too good to be true…it is…which brings us to the next point.

Consideration #3: How much does it cost?

When I first started treating snoring with oral devices, one big problem I faced was that the cost of these devices was out of reach for many people and their insurance didn’t cover it. FDA regulated oral devices are expensive. Same goes for CPAP machines and surgery.

On the flip side, cheap devices are cheap wastes of money at best and dangerous at worst. As I mentioned, to undergo the rigor associated with FDA regulated medical devices, a company must go through safety validation steps such as testing and quality control and use medical-grade biocompatible materials while maintaining an ongoing quality management system. It’s expensive.

To treat snoring, there is a sweat spot to look for.

Find an option that you can afford but isn’t cheap. In the long run, cheap devices will cost you the most.

Consideration #4: Is it comfortable?

For an anti-snore device to work, you must use it, therefore it must be comfortable.

When evaluating options, look at its size. Is it small, lightweight, discreet, non-invasive and easy to travel with? Or is it bulky, cumbersome, invasive, and uncomfortable?

If it’s effective, but not comfortable (like CPAP), you won’t use it.

Consideration #5: Is it easy? Easy to get, easy to use, and make life easier?

An anti-snore device should make your life better. Easy is better.

Evaluate if the anti-snore device is easy to get, easy to use, easy to clean and maintain, easy to travel with, easy to snuggle with.

Your anti-snore device should fit seamlessly into your life, making restful sleep together easy.

Consideration #6: Mouth? Nose? Or Both?

The final consideration is whether to opt for a mouth device, nose device, or both. 

If you know you are a mouth breather, fixing this is the low hanging fruit. You can try mouth tape to force the mouth closed and nasal breathing. Or, I'd personally recommend, the SnoreSealer, which uses a lip shield to block mouth breathing while also aiding in proper tongue placement, which is perhaps the most important part. Both are low cost, low risk, with potentially life changing upside.

If you don't breathe through your mouth and if the tongue is resting on your palate like it should, then fixing nose breathing is the key, and EPAP is likely your best solution. In this case, there simply is no better option than SnoreBuds.

SnoreBuds is the Best Anti-Snore Device 

The world of anti-snoring devices is full of options, but most are limited by their ineffectiveness, lack of comfort, or side effects.

SnoreBuds is the best anti-snore device ever created. It’s the anti-snore solution that checks all the boxes.

It works and it’s safe.
It’s comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective.

SnoreBuds doesn’t come with the risks, costs, and burdens of other options.

SnoreBuds uses the power of your own breath to silence snoring and improve sleep, so you can get restful sleep together.

The only limitation of SnoreBuds is if you are a habitual mouth breather. But that's why, right now, SnoreBuds comes with the SnoreSealer. You get the best mouth and nose solutions in one package. There really is no other best place to start than with this Snore System.

Who should not use SnoreBuds

SnoreBuds is intended to treat snoring, not sleep apnea, and it isn’t intended to be a replacement for CPAP machines. Many doctors do recommend EPAP as an option for treating sleep disordered breathing issues like obstructive sleep apnea, but you should speak to your doctor to determine if a product like SnoreBuds is suitable for you.

Since SnoreBuds is only intended to treat snoring, you do not need a prescription. Likewise, it will not be covered by your medical insurance. However, SnoreBuds is accepted by most health saving plans such as FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and HSA (Health Savings Account), which are accepted at checkout.

The reason SnoreBuds is eligible for HSA/FSA is because better sleep improves your health. Snoring is indicative of disordered breathing. It’s obvious how it interrupts a bedtime partner’s sleep, but a snorer’s sleep is also impaired due to non-ideal breathing, which can stress the body and impair physical and mental recovery that happen during sleep.

By sleeping with SnoreBuds you not only silence the snoring, but you improve your sleep and thereby you may experience substantial improvements in performance, health, and cognition including more energy during the day and improvements in mood, concentration, and memory.

Can snoring be cured naturally?

Snoring can be cured.

Here’s how you can stop snoring naturally.

Weight loss can reduce the extra tissue around the neck, throat, and tongue leading to a larger airway and better breathing that doesn’t cause the tissues in the throat to vibrate.

Proper oral posture where you sleep with your mouth closed, lips sealed, and tongue resting on the palate also maximizes the airway space for proper breathing. This is why nasal breathing is so important. And this is why I created the SnoreSealer.

It’s when the mouth falls open, and the tongue falls back that you get a reduction in airway space, faster airflow, and more tissue vibration – which means more snoring.

If you struggle with mouth breathing, addressing nasal constrictions is a great first step.

Also, oral myofunctional therapy, where you do exercises to strengthen your tongue, can help you maintain proper oral posture while you sleep and cure snoring.

While I recommend weight loss and oral myofunctional therapy to stop snoring naturally it does take take time and effort.

In the meantime, EPAP (Expiratory Positive Air Pressure) is a technology that can help stop your snoring tonight.