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