Is Sleeping Killing You?

Is Sleeping Killing You?


Maybe.  You may not even know it.  But if you have a bed partner, for sure he or she knows it.


OK.  Millions of people snore.  It's annoying.  It drives those you share a bed with crazy.


But it won't kill you if that's all it is.  


But for many snorers, the situation is way more serious.  


Because what they have is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA for short).


OSA is a killer.  Let me tell you a little about it.  And then let me tell you how a dental office can help you.


Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder that affects more than 18 million people in the United States. In many of these people, the condition is undiagnosed. People with OSA literally stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, often for a minute or longer and as many as hundreds of times during a single night.

Sleep apnea can be caused by either complete obstruction of the airway (obstructive apnea) or partial obstruction, both of which can wake one up. OSA occurs in approximately 2 percent of women and 4 percent of men over the age of 35.

It is important to emphasize that, often, the person who has obstructive sleep apnea does not remember the episodes of apnea during the night.

The main symptoms are usually associated with excessive daytime sleepiness due to poor sleep during the night. Often, family members, especially spouses, witness the periods of no breathing.

A person with obstructive sleep apnea usually snores heavily soon after falling asleep. The snoring continues at a regular pace for a period of time, often becoming louder, but is then interrupted by a long silent period during which there is no breathing. This is followed by a loud snort and gasp, and the snoring returns. This pattern repeats frequently throughout the night.

During the nonbreathing episodes, blood oxygen levels fall. Persistent low levels of oxygen may cause many of the daytime symptoms. If the condition is severe enough, pulmonary hypertension may develop, leading to right sided heart failure.

Symptoms that may be observed include:

Abnormal daytime sleepiness, including falling asleep at inappropriate times. Awakening unrefreshed in the morning.  Depression (possibly).  Episodes of no breathing (apnea).  Lethargy.  Loud snoring.  Memory difficulties.  Morning headaches.  Personality changes.  Poor concentration.  Restless sleep.  Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia).  Excessive carbon dioxide levels in the blood.  High Blood Pressure.  Heart disease.  Sleep deprivation. Stroke.

So why is a dentist talking to you about this? Because specially trained dentists (that's us) can be terrifically helpful with mild to moderate OSA.

Dentists with a special interest in this issue know how to make an oral appliance that advances the jaw in sleep and keeps the airway open. Sometimes this is all that is needed to stop the problem.

These appliances are easy to wear in sleep and the improvment in sleep quality, to say nothing about the improvement of the sleep for the partner, can be remarkable.

The alternatives are for the OSA person to use CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) devices, which involve a mask that fits over the face and a machine that pumps air under pressure to force breathing. And there are surgical procedures that may be able to help.

I personally favor the oral appliance called Somnodent, and my patients have found it to be comfortable and effective.  The SomnoDent is a custom-made device, which improves the effectiveness and comfort level of treatment, as the jaw is moved only as far as is required to alleviate the condition.

The SomnoDent is a clinically proven treatment of snoring and mild to moderate OSA.   96% of patients with proven OSA stated they would like to continue to use the SomnoDent.  91% of patients reported substantial improvement in sleep quality with the SomnoDent. 

The SomnoDent works by moving the lower jaw forward slightly, which tightens the muscles in the upper airway preventing them from collapsing and vibrating at night. 

If you are told you snore loudly or stop breathing in sleep, or if your partner does this, please seek help. The diagnosis is usually made by having a sleep study at a sleep center.

But here is some terrific great news: 

Our office can now arrange for you to have a sleep study done right in your own home, in your own bed.  It's so comfortable to be in familiar surroundings without the cameras and observers in a sleep center.

And the cost of a home sleep study is only about $350 instead of the $2000 to $3000 for a sleep center study.

Don't neglect OSA. It can kill you.

If you even suspect you might have OSA, or even if you simply want to stop or reduce your snoring, call us. We can and will help you.  Do it now.

Dental Pain Truths - What You Need To Know

Dental Pain. It's the worst!

But dental pain comes in many different forms. Let's go through some of the common types and put them in some perspective.  Smart Patients know stuff and they keep their teeth.

Brief, sharp momentary pain to something cold.

Goes away as soon as the cold is removed.  Teeth are normally a little sensitive when exposed to real cold.  No problem.  

But: if the cold sensitivity happens when the food or drink is only slightly cold, then it can be from a gap in a filling, actual decay, an exposed root surface (happens if the gum is receded) or if there is a crack in the tooth.  Call us. 845-297-6206.

Or: If the pain lasts for more than a few seconds or a minute, that can mean that the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth) is stressed or deteriorating.  Call us. 845-297-6206

Deeper, more aching pain pain, especially if heat makes it worse.

More serious.  This indicates that the pulp of the tooth is badly inflamed and is on the way to becoming necrotic.  Call us promptly.  This is going to get worse.  845-297-6206.

A real long lasting, steady, throbbing toothache that is agonizingly painful and is worse if you bite on the tooth or press it with your tongue or finger.

This is an emergency.  It means you have an abscess (infection) and it must be treated quickly.  It can become a deep space infection and can become dangerous.

I have a broken tooth or a hole in my tooth but I have no dental pain.  Nothing hurts.  Am I OK?  Can I wait to take care of this?

No.  Any opening in a tooth beyond the enamel is a wound.  It gets infected.  Bacteria enter the microscopic tubules in the dentin and travel to the pulp and then you are on the way to a dead pulp and a toothache.  Many times the reason the tooth doesn't hurt is because the nerve endings in the pulp are already dead.  Call us. 845-297-6206.

I had a toothache but it went away.  Did it heal?

No.  The pulp of the tooth probably died, so the nerve tissue is no longer able to transmit the pain impulses.  Dead pulps need to be treated.  The body does not like dead tissue and it will create problems if it is left.  Call us. 845-297-6206.

I bit on something hard and it hurt, but the pain went away quickly and the tooth isn't sore.  What should I do?

If the tooth stays comfortable, just don't bite hard on it for a day or two.  

But: If the tooth starts to ache or gets tender to temperatures or pressure, call us. 845-297-6206

My teeth are just sort of sore a lot, especially when I wake up in the morning.  What's happening?

You are probably clenching or grinding your teeth in sleep. Some people do this in the daytime too. This is not good for teeth, or for your jaw joints or the chewing muscles in your face.  You need help.  Call us. 845-297-6206.

The bottom line is this: Call and get advice when you are not sure.  We are glad to advise you.

Check out our web site.  It has a ton of information.  We're here for you.