Snoring...A Minor Annoyance or Something Serious?

Are you prevented from getting a good night’s sleep due to snoring (be it your snoring or your spouse’s snoring)?

• If you snore, do you wake up from a seemingly sound sleep gasping for air?
• Do you wake up at night because you need to use the bathroom?
• Do you wake up in the morning feeling tired?
• Do you feel sleepy in the afternoon and wish you could just sneak in a short nap to re-energize yourself at work?

If any of the above conditions sound familiar to you, please think seriously about getting tested for Sleep Apnea, a dangerous, potentially life-threatening condition.

Sleep apnea is defined as interruptions of breathing during sleep...imagine someone who is sleeping and does not take a breath for more than 10 seconds....then doing this a minimum of five times each hour during their sleep.

Since oxygen enters our bodies through our breath, and our organs (such as our heart, liver, kidneys, etc.) need oxygen to function properly, we are starving our bodies of oxygen with each 10-second non-breathing interval.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to other serious medical conditions such as: depression, high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke.

A more frightening fact is this: as many as 90% of all sleep apnea cases remain undiagnosed, largely due to the fact that sufferers are unaware that their symptoms are a sign of a serious breathing disorder.

Talk to a medical doctor or a dentist (but, make sure they are specially trained in sleep medicine and dental sleep medicine) about getting tested for sleep apnea...secure your future by improving your quality of life and getting a more restful sleep each night!

Teeth Straightening for Kids: Purely Cosmetic or A Real Necessity?

By Guest Blogger: ThanksDrMom.com, Marie Johnson

As kids reach elementary and middle school, the topic of braces (orthodontics) comes up more frequently. Should parents spend the money to straighten their kids’ teeth? Is it for purely a cosmetic reason? You may be surprised to know there are significant health reasons to seriously consider providing orthodontic treatment for your child.

Aside from the obvious esthetic reasons for orthodontics, a healthy mouth and straight teeth in kids are very important concerns because:

1) Straight teeth are easier to keep clean - healthy teeth and gums are extremely important to our overall health, adults and kids alike! Did you know that gum disease is closely linked to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes?

2) A poor bite can lead to muscle problems and headaches.

3) Crooked teeth will wear unevenly, which may lead to future dental problems and the need for future dental restorations such as crowns.

4) It is best to straighten teeth earlier when a child’s mouth and palate are still growing to avoid extracting teeth...and treatment may take less time as a child rather than adult orthodontics.

5) If crowding of the teeth is present, orthodontically creating space and growth in the mouth can help prevent future dental problems and possibly obstructive sleep apnea (a serious condition in which a person stops breathing during sleep).

If you are faced with the question of whether or not to straighten you kids’ teeth, remember that cosmetic reasons are not the only factors involved. Serious health issues may need to be considered. Talk to your family dentist. Find out ALL the details of your child’s diagnosis. Then, decide what is best for your child and your family.

“Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.” -Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, 1605

And if insurance coverage is a deciding factor for you, follow Robert Brault’s advise (www.robertbrault.com), “My health plan doesn’t cover dental, so I enrolled my teeth as 32 dependents, each needing a complete physical once a year.”

A Tragic Pregnancy

Please watch this news report regarding a tragic pregnancy; the first case proving the connection between the health of your gums and the health of a developing fetus. The LANAP protocol for treating gum disease is a patient-friendly, minimal invasive procedure that is very effective in treating gum disease. Watch it here: http://tinyurl.com/5wjlabu

Successful Periodontal Therapy May Reduce the Risk of Pre-Term Birth

According to a study at the University of Pennsylvania, successful treatment for gum disease may reduce the risk for pre-term birth. Read more here. http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/news/successful-periodontal-therapy-may-reduce-risk-preterm-birth-according-penn-dental-study

Of course LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) could be considered as part of successful periodontal therapy.

Nobody Ever Told Me That!

Nobody Ever Told Me About That!

1. You will look older faster with the following dental problems: gum disease, missing, stained or broken teeth; and ill-fitting dentures or bridges.

2. Amalgam (silver) fillings can expand and, over a period of years, cause natural teeth to crack.

3. A crown is recommended for several reasons. One reason is to reestablish the biting surfaces of the teeth. Another may be to prevent an "at risk" tooth from cracking.

4. A 200-pound man with full mouth dentures has less chewing force than his 90-year old aunt who has all her teeth.

5. Over time, teeth can become discolored from age or continuous exposure to tea, coffee, red wine, dark colas, and tobacco. These stains go deep into the surface of the tooth. In order to get teeth really white, talk to your dentist about a professional whitening that will penetrate the tooth's enamel.

6. Gum disease can lead to the spread of infection through your blood stream, resulting in a loss of energy, creating fatigue.

7. Diet sodas, cough drops, and chewing tobacco can cause tooth decay.

8. People mistakenly believe that their teeth must touch at all times. Not so. In fact, unless you are chewing, talking, or swallowing, your jaw should be in a relaxed, slack position.

Thinking Outside the Box Means Thinking Outside the Tooth

There is substantial research linking gum (periodontal) disease to serious conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even pancreatic cancer. Instead of addressing these systemic disease at advanced stages, why not be pro-active and deal with less pain by creating a healthy mouth.

Our mouths are the easiest line of access for bacteria to enter our bodies. Gum disease starts off as plaque, an opaque bacterial film, which eventually hardens forming tartar or calculus. Calculus deposits harbor bacteria, which infect the gums. In early stages, this is called gingivitis, characterized by red swollen gums that bleed when you brush your teeth. Many people experience bad breath and an unpleasant taste in their mouths as well.

Unchecked gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, a much more serious form of the disease where periodontal pockets are formed, separating teeth from the gums and supporting bone structure. Without treatment, infection becomes severe and the pockets deepen, harboring bacteria (which then enters the blood stream), and eventually resulting in tooth loss. Gum disease is a chronic condition, and the effects are wide-spread. The chronic infection of gum disease exacerbates other systemic diseases previously mentioned above.

The way to repair the damage is to get rid of the infection and close up the pockets. This is where thinking "outside the box" comes in. Until recently treating gum disease meant cut and sew flap surgery (aka, scalpel surgery and sutures). Most dentists are trained to treat gum disease by cutting through healthy tissue on the surface to "scrape out" the infected, underlying gum tissue. Modern technology and the use of a specific laser and protocol have proven successful in treating gum disease, which in turn can help control diabetes and lower the risks of heart disease and stroke.

This "out of the box" successful, laser-alternative protocol I am referring to is called Laser Assisted new Attachment Procedure (LANAP). The LANAP protocol is the only laser-assisted procedure certified by the FDA for treatment of periodontitis or gum disease. This breakthrough procedure can actually regenerate new gum and bone tissue, as shown in dental university studies and among my own patients. I can honestly say the LANAP protocol is a patient-friendly, minimally invasive procedure that is a great improvement over traditional gum surgery.

Be an informed patient/consumer. Always ask what your alternatives are. With the advancement of science and modern technology, there is no reason to settle for old-fashion, "traditional" solutions.

The LANAP Protocol: Periodontal Patients' Best Friend

I have been providing the LANAP (laser assisted new attachment procedure) protocol for the last few years. Without exaggeration or hyperbole, in my 25 years in the practice of dentistry, I have never seen a more effective, patient friendly, powerful technique than the LANAP protocol for the treatment of ANY dental concern, including gum disease. Patient acceptance is unparalleled, results are clinically proven, and a positive patient experience is the rule. LANAP is an FDA approved procedure that features no cutting or amputation of gum tissue, no stitches, and virtually no risk of post operative infection. LANAP is a regenerative procedure that features superior healing compared to conventional techniques. There are at present, approximately 1000 user/clinicians in the US and Canada. The number of periodontal specialist users is growing steadily; it is my decided opinion that the "Gold Standard" for periodontitis treatment is now the LANAP protocol. I am honored to help doctors learn the technique as an Instructor for the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry, the sole provider for all continuing education and instruction for the LANAP protocol.