The Pros and Cons of PureSleep

I’ve been getting a lot of questions from friends and neighbors since I mentioned that I’ve been using the PureSleep anti-snoring device (www.PureSleep.com) so I decided to post what I see as the pros and cons of the device.  Hopefully, any questions you might have will be answered here as well.

So let’s get started:

The Pros

1.  The Device Reduces or Eliminates Snoring. This is, of course, the biggest positive point since snoring can create, or worsen, a lot of other problems.  PureSleep pulls the lower jaw forward significantly reducing, or completely eliminating, snoring.   There is a gap between the upper and lower mouthpiece which allows you to breath through your mouth.

2.  The Device Helped Reduce My Blood Pressure and Sleep Apnea. As I reported in a related post, using the PureSleep device to get a full night of really restful sleep apparently helped to reduce my blood pressure as well as reduce the mild case of sleep apnea I was beginning to develop.   NOTE:   the PureSleep device is not a cure nor a treatment for sleep apnea or high blood pressure.  If you suffer from either of these, you need to see your healthcare provider.

3.  Your Spouse Gets a Good Night’s Sleep. Nothing improves a relationship more than a well-rested spouse.  Need I say more?

4.   You Enjoy Deeper Sleep. I seem to sleep deeper, more restfully, and for longer periods with the PureSleep device than I do without it.

5.  I Wake Up Less Often During the Night. Without the PureSleep  device, I usually wake up 2-3 times a night, turn over, and then drift back off to sleep.  With the device, I tend to sleep the entire night through in most cases.

6.  You Wake Up Feeling Alert and Well Rested. After a night of sleeping deeply and not waking up as many times as usual, I wake up feeling alert, well rested, and ready to start the day.  Without the PureSleep device, I tend to wake up tired and groggy – like I didn’t get enough sleep, which I probably didn’t.

7.  Kids Don’t Make Fun of Your Snoring. One of my early childhood memories is getting a tape recorder for Christmas and using it to tape my uncle “sawing logs” during one of his naps.   My cousins and I played that tape over and over again laughing at every snore.   Ah, kids!

8.  Easy to Use and Clean. The PureSleep device is easy to fit to your mouth, easy to use, and easy to keep clean.  I scrub mine with my toothbrush using warm water in the morning after brushing my teeth.  You can also disinfect it with Scope or Listerine (but avoid anything that contains harsh chemicals).

9.  Relatively Inexpensive. I first thought PureSleep was pretty pricey at close to $70.   However, similar devices prescribed and sold by dentists can run more than twice that making the PureSleep device a pretty good deal.  Note that the device has an expected lifespan of about a year.

The Cons

1.  Drool, Drool, Drool. Wearing the device causes your mouth to salivate.  It’s size and shape also tends to keep my lips parted once my face relaxes and I doze off (see item 4 below).  The end result is that you drool, drool, drool.   This will probably be more of a problem for people with small faces and mouths that it will for others.  However, be prepared to change your pillow cases often.

2.  Uncomfortable to Wear at First. Depending on the size of your mouth, the device may be uncomfortable to wear at times.   At first, the device tended to induce my gag reflex and I had to leave it out for a while before trying again.  After a couple of days, having it in my mouth stopped bothering me.

3.   Impossible to Cough or Yawn. The device pretty much fills your entire mouth so you can’t cough or get in a good yawn when wearing the device.

4.  Tends to Keep My Mouth Open. The device essentially fills my entire mouth.  I feel like I have to “stretch” my lips in order to get them to close.  As I start to doze off, my face relaxes and my lips naturally pull back leaving my mouth open.   This leads to drool (see item 1 above) as well as a dry throat, dry lips, and a strong “cotton mouth” feeling in the morning.

5.  Sometimes Hurts My Gums. PureSleep is constructed of soft plastic held inside of a hard plastic shell.   There are times that I wake up in the morning with sore gums from the device having pushed against my teeth during the night.

6.   Feels Like It’s Moving My Teeth. There are also times that I wake up in the morning feeling like the device has been pushing (or pulling) my teeth.  However, I think this is related to my occasional sore gums and is probably the result of a firm spot on my pillow pushing the PureSleep device against my gums and/or teeth.

7.   Sore Jaw In the Morning. Until you get used to wearing the device, your lower jaw, especially the jaw hinge, may feel sore in the morning.   The PureSleep instruction booklet recommends gently massaging the jaw hinge which helps the jaw muscles to relax.

8.  PureSleep Is Not For Everyone. According to the PureSleep website, people with asthma or other respiratory diseases; people with central sleep apnea; people who have loose teeth, abscesses, or severe gum disease; people with TMD (a problem with the jaw hinge); or people with dentures or who are undergoing orthodontic treatment should not use PureSleep.

Note that all pros and cons are based on my personal experience or on information on the PureSleep website and/or instruction booklet.  I am neither a doctor nor a dentist so please consult with your healthcare provider if you have medical or dental questions.