August 15, 2011

Periodontal Disease and Pregnancy Problems

Women with periodontal disease who are pregnant need to seek treatment. Several studies have shown that expectant mothers with gum disease are much more likely to deliver their babies early. A study done at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine has apparently proven that using an alcohol free mouth rinse reduced this risk. The study involved a group […]
August 13, 2011

Sleep Apnea Linked to Higher Risk of Dementia

Untreated sleep disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea may increase the risk of dementia in the elderly. These sleep disorders have previously been linked to diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. This new study looked at 298 women over 65 who began the study without dementia or cognitive impairment. After four years had passed the women were monitored […]
August 9, 2011

Best Treatments for Sleep Apnea

Tufts University completed a review of treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea. The review was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Treatment using CPAP and oral appliances worn at night were backed by the strongest evidence. The report stated that weight loss and surgery may also be effective but the evidence […]
August 6, 2011

Migraine Headaches May Reveal Dental Problem

Migraine headaches have been in the news lately and there have been many discussions about just how debilitating these headaches can be. Many migraine  sufferers never discover the reason they get hit with these painful headaches they only know that time is lost from work, family and relaxation. One often overlooked reason for migraine headache is tooth grinding during sleep. […]
August 4, 2011

Weight Loss Linked to Sleep

Trying to lose weight and it just isn’t working? The reason could be the amount of time you are sleeping. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who didn’t get enough sleep ate more but they didn’t burn off the extra calories. The study took a group of middle-aged men and women of similar […]
July 29, 2011

What Causes Teeth Grinding?

Clenching our jaws and grinding our teeth is often blamed on stress but many times the cause is not easily found. Most people who grind their teeth do so during sleep and may not even realize they are doing it until a bed partner comments on the noise or a visit to the dentist shows wearing of the teeth. Because […]
July 26, 2011

Memory Impaired by Sleep Interruptions

People with medical conditions that interrupt their sleep often experience memory problems. Scientists using new technology have concluded that sleep discontinuity does impair memory according to a report in the Proceedings of the national Academy of Sciences. One of the conditions that causes sleep disruption is obstructive sleep apnea. Scientists have long suspected that sleep and memory are connected but […]
July 20, 2011

5 Things You Are Doing to Damage Your Teeth

It turns out that some of the things we do every day are causing damage to our teeth. Here are a few that you might not be aware of: Using sports drinks to re-charge after a workout. Sports drinks have become extremely popular but they aren’t great for your teeth. The drinks are typically full of sugars which act as […]
July 18, 2011

What is Dental Plaque?

We don’t like to think about it but there are countless numbers of bacteria that live in our mouths. Most of them are not there to do us any favors which is why keeping our teeth clean and free of dental plaque is so important. Dental plaque is a biofilm that is formed on your teeth by the bacteria that […]
July 15, 2011

Dentists Can Spot Undiagnosed Diabetics

The Journal of Dental Research published a study that showed that dental visits are an opportunity for identifying diabetes and pre-diabetes in previously undiagnosed patients.  One of the largest public health issues facing the nation today is the diabetes epidemic. This study was aimed at developing a protocol for identifying high blood sugar levels in dental patients. Nearly 70 percent […]
July 13, 2011

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Linked to Blood Vessel Changes

New research reported in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association shows that obstructive sleep apnea may cause changes in blood vessel function that reduces blood supply to the heart. Treating the obstructive sleep apnea for 26 weeks improved blood supply. This study is the first to show blood vessel changes in sleep apnea patients. Researchers looked for changes in […]
July 9, 2011

Oral Cancer Warnings on New Cigarette Packs

The FDA has included a warning about oral cancer in its collection of images that will now be required on all cigarette packs, cartons and ads. The image selected is described as “cancerous lesion on lip” but also includes a set of severely damaged teeth. The images used in the campaign were all viewed by focus groups. This image was […]
July 6, 2011

Lack of Sleep Linked to More Pain

Poor quality sleep or not enough sleep may increase the perception of pain. A study from Harvard Medical School looked at health care workers and their length and quality of sleep. Sleep deficient was defined as sleeping less than six hours, feeling tired upon waking or experiencing insomnia (trouble falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night). […]
July 1, 2011

Poor Oral Care Can Affect Your Love Life

Poor oral health can cause bad breath which will certainly interfere with looking for love. Recent research has discovered another way in which gum disease can ruin your love life and this has much more serious consequences. The research looked at 70 male test subjects and showed a correlation between gum disease and erectile dysfunction(ED). As the severity of the […]
June 29, 2011

People with Sleep Problems Use More Healthcare

Findings presented at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies 25th Annual Meeting showed that sleep problems are linked to increased utilization of health care and work absenteeism. The findings come from a review of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005-2006. Compared with good sleepers, people who have trouble sleeping were more likely to have had […]
June 24, 2011

Your Oral Health May Deteriorate When Hospitalized

Lots of things are checked regularly when you are in the hospital but one thing that seems to be overlooked is your oral health. Recent research showed that the oral health of patients declined during their stays in the hospital and that poor oral health can be associated with an increased risk of hospital-acquired infection. The researchers reviewed data from […]
June 22, 2011

Why We Sleep

Humans need to sleep but researchers still don’t really know the reason why. New studies are emerging every day that show how learning is affected by sleep, how healing is affected by sleep, how memory is affected… you get the idea. It seems that sleep affects almost everything in our lives. We do know that sleep affords our brains time […]
June 17, 2011

Severe Sleep Apnea Treated with Combined CPAP and Oral Appliance

Research presented at the recent meeting of the American Academy of Dental Sleep medicine showed that patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea were improved more with a combination of a mandibular advancement splint (a type of oral appliance) and positive airway pressure (CPAP) than by CPAP alone. The results of the study showed that patients were better able to tolerate […]
June 14, 2011

Sleep Apnea and Pregnancy

A research abstract presented at a recent meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies showed that women with severe sleep apnea had a higher incidence of gestational diabetes and early preterm birth. The sleep disorder has been linked to heart disease and stroke in non-pregnant people but very few studies have looked at how sleep apnea affects women (and their […]
June 10, 2011

The Jaw Joint is a Frequent Cause of Headache Pain

About 45 million Americans suffer from headaches each year robbing them of time at work, school or with their families. More people complain about headaches than any other medical condition and attempting to discover the reason for the headaches often leads to many visits to physicians and specialists without receiving a diagnosis. Migraines or frequent, continual headaches may be a […]