Snoring mouthpiece side effects: jaw pain, bite changes, drooling and dry mouth

Anti-snoring mouthpieces are generally safe for adults with healthy teeth, but they do have side effects. Most people notice sore teeth or jaw muscles, extra saliva or a dry mouth in the first weeks, and those usually settle. The side effect that lasts is slower: over years of nightly wear, the front teeth can shift and change how your bite meets. A dentist can keep an eye on that.

This article covers mandibular advancement devices, the mouthpieces that hold your lower jaw forward. For how they work and who they suit, start with our guide to anti-snoring mouthpieces and oral appliances.

What are the side effects of a snoring mouthpiece?

The side effects of a snoring mouthpiece are mostly dental. The 2015 clinical practice guideline from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine lists sore teeth, gum problems, sore jaw muscles, excessive salivation, difficulty chewing in the morning, dry mouth and changes in how the teeth meet. It says side effects vary widely in type and severity, but most are dental in nature.

It helps to split these into two groups. A 2025 meta-analysis in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine describes short-term side effects, such as jaw joint discomfort and excess saliva, as generally mild and passing. It describes the long-term dental changes, a smaller overbite and overjet, as irreversible.

Is jaw pain from a mouthpiece normal?

Jaw pain from a mouthpiece is common at the start and usually improves. Holding the lower jaw forward all night asks the jaw joint and chewing muscles to work in a new position, and the early weeks can feel sore. The question most people want answered is whether that pain turns into a lasting jaw problem.

A 2025 meta-analysis in the Journal of Prosthodontic Research pooled 14 studies of mandibular advancement devices with an average follow-up of 18.4 months. In the short term (under six months), pain-related jaw disorders were more likely than before treatment. At a year or more, the odds of pain in the jaw joint or chewing muscles were actually lower. The authors concluded the devices did not cause long-term harm to the jaw joint or muscles, while noting the short-term pain needs watching. They also rated the certainty of the evidence as very low, so treat this as reassuring rather than settled.

Device design may matter. The 2025 Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine meta-analysis found adjustable devices, which let the lower jaw move a little and can be advanced gradually, had less impact on the jaw joint and chewing muscles than one-piece devices. A German snoring guideline also summarizes a trial where muscle pain and jaw joint problems were more pronounced with splints that actually advanced the jaw than with a sham version, which fits with the advancement itself being the cause.

Cleveland Clinic's advice is to have a dentist or oral surgeon customize the device for your mouth, and one of its doctors warns that a badly fitting appliance "can strain the jaw." If your jaw pain is sharp, getting worse or still there after the first few weeks, stop and see the dentist. Our article on mouth tape for teeth grinding and TMJ covers jaw problems from another angle.

Can a snoring mouthpiece move your teeth or change your bite?

A snoring mouthpiece can move your teeth and change your bite, slowly and permanently, if you wear it for years. The 2019 study below describes tooth movement as the main side effect of devices that hold the lower jaw forward. Over time, the upper front teeth tip back and the lower front teeth tip forward. That shrinks the overjet (how far the top teeth sit in front of the bottom ones) and the overbite (how far they overlap vertically).

The research on this is fairly consistent:

• A 2025 meta-analysis in the Journal of Prosthodontics included 42 studies of people using oral appliances for six months or longer. Overbite fell by an average of 0.87 mm and overjet by 0.86 mm, and the changes grew over the years. Changes to the jaw bones themselves were not significant.
• A 2019 study in Sleep Medicine followed 62 people who used a custom, adjustable device for primary snoring or sleep apnea for an average of 12.6 years, and up to 21. The upper front teeth tipped back by about 6 degrees and the lower front teeth forward by about 8 degrees. The number of years of treatment was the factor most consistently tied to how much change happened. Skeletal changes were about 1 degree and judged not clinically significant.
• The AASM guideline cites a two-year comparison where overbite and overjet fell by 1.2 mm and 1.5 mm with an oral appliance, compared with people using CPAP.

The average changes are under a millimeter. But these changes don't reverse when you stop, and they keep adding up with years of use. That is why the AASM suggests that a qualified dentist provide follow-up, specifically to check for dental side effects and bite changes. The German guideline makes the same point for snoring. It notes that studies on snorers have been too short to say much about long-term effects, and advises watching for changes in bite and tooth position with long-term use.

Do mouthpieces cause drooling or dry mouth?

Drooling and dry mouth are both common mouthpiece side effects, and both appear on the AASM guideline's list.

Excess saliva is one of the most often reported complaints. In a UK study of 121 people using mandibular repositioning splints, excess salivation was the most common side effect. The same study found 68% of people were still using their splint, and 70% of bed partners felt the snoring had improved. The 2025 Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine review describes excess saliva as generally mild and passing.

Dry mouth tends to come up more with ready-made devices. In a questionnaire study of people using one popular boil-and-bite appliance, many users complained of dry mouth, excess saliva or both. If dry mouth is your main problem, our guide to dry mouth at night remedies has practical fixes.

Are boil-and-bite mouthguards safer than custom ones?

Boil-and-bite mouthguards are not safer than custom ones, and the research leans toward custom devices on both comfort and results. A boil-and-bite device is softened in hot water and molded by biting into it. It's cheaper, but the fit is harder to get right.

In the boil-and-bite questionnaire study, 47 of 84 people replied, and about three-quarters were still using the device. Of those who had stopped, most quit in the first three months, and the most common reason was that it was uncomfortable. The people who quit complained significantly more about a poor fit, and the authors named difficulty getting a good fit as the main reason people gave up.

A 2008 crossover trial compared the two types head to head in 35 people with mild sleep-disordered breathing. The custom device reduced snoring more. One-third of people couldn't keep using the boil-and-bite device, mainly because it didn't stay in place overnight, and at the end 82% preferred the custom-made one.

Guidelines follow the same line. For sleep apnea, the AASM suggests a custom, adjustable appliance over a non-custom one. For snoring, the German guideline says thermoplastic splints are viewed critically for how long they last and how well they work, and that robust long-term data on ready-made splints wasn't available.

Who should be careful with an anti-snoring mouthpiece?

Anyone whose teeth, gums or jaw aren't in good shape should be careful with an anti-snoring mouthpiece. The German guideline sets out who suits one: enough stable teeth in each jaw, free of decay and gum inflammation (or enough sturdy implants), the ability to open your mouth normally, and an unremarkable check of the jaw joint and chewing muscles. It also says the lower jaw has to be able to move forward enough.

So check with a dentist first if you have loose teeth, gum disease, ongoing jaw pain or clicking, or a lot of dental work underway. If you wear a retainer or are partway through orthodontic treatment, ask your orthodontist too, since a mouthpiece is designed to put force on your teeth.

Should you see a doctor or dentist before using one?

You should see both if you can. The AASM guideline says a sleep physician, not a dentist, should diagnose simple snoring before an oral appliance is used, because snoring often comes with sleep apnea and getting that wrong can have serious consequences. A mouthpiece that quiets the noise can hide the problem underneath. Our guide to snoring vs. sleep apnea lists the warning signs, and the home sleep apnea test guide explains what testing involves.

Then a dentist should fit the device and see you regularly. The German guideline recommends that fitting and monitoring be done together by dental and sleep medicine experts. Bring the device to dental checkups and mention any change in how your teeth meet when you bite down in the morning.

What can you try instead if a mouthpiece doesn't suit you?

If a mouthpiece doesn't suit you, the right alternative depends on where your snoring comes from. A mouthpiece targets the tongue and jaw. If your nose is blocked or your mouth falls open at night, other tools aim at those causes with no force on your teeth. Our comparisons of nasal strips vs. a mouth guard and mouth tape vs. a mouth guard walk through the trade-offs. Side sleeping is another option with no dental downside; see sleep position and snoring.

Mouth tape only makes sense if you breathe easily through your nose with your mouth closed, so check that first with our nose test. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

Our pick (paid partner): Titan Sleep System

If your snoring seems to come from a stuffy nose or a mouth that falls open, and you'd rather not put anything on your teeth, our pick is the Titan Sleep System. Titan says it brings TitanAir Nasal Strips and Titan Mouth Tape together as one nightly system.

Titan describes the strips as drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, worn on the soft part of the nose just above the nostrils, and the tape as a bamboo silk strip worn across the lips. Titan says every batch is third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and it refunds you if your sleep isn't better after 30 nights. We haven't tested or ranked these products ourselves, and they don't replace a sleep apnea check if you have warning signs.

Read next

• Anti-snoring mouthpieces and oral appliances: how they work
• Tongue retaining devices for snoring
• How to stop snoring

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.