June 7, 2010

Sleep Apnea Treatment Using Oral Appliance Effective Over Long Term

Research discussed at the recent Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine showed that using an oral appliance to treat obstructive sleep apnea remained an effective treatment even after years had passed.  The daytime sleepiness and fatigue were reduced and quality of life remained improved .   Test subjects were followed between 31 and 53 months after beginning […]
June 4, 2010

Midnight Snacking Leads to Tooth Loss

Eating late at night is an easy way to gain weight but  midnight snacks have been found to be bad for your dental health as well.  A study published in the August issue of Eating Behaviors reveals that eating food late at night contributes to tooth loss.  Surprisingly, this outcome was not dependent upon the types of food eaten.  The […]
June 2, 2010

Brushing Saves Your Heart

Several studies have been released over the past several years that prove the link between gum disease and heart problems.  Now it seems that people who brush their teeth less than twice a day have nearly 3 times the risk of heart disease.  The new study, led by Richard Watt from University College London studies data from over 11,000 people […]
May 30, 2010

How To Handle A Knocked Out Tooth In Columbus

Accidents happen.  Teeth are typically knocked out because of an accident – whether it be a fall or an accidental elbow when playing a sport.  How you handle the tooth and how long it takes to get to your dentist can make a big difference in how this injury is treated. Many times  teeth are knocked out completely whole,  including […]
May 24, 2010

Tooth Loss More Common Than You Think

Almost 70% of adults between the ages of 35 and 44 have lost at least one permanent tooth.   At age 74 more than a quarter of the people have lost ALL of their teeth.  Reasons for the loss vary – tooth decay, accidents, gum disease, excessive wear (bruxism or tooth grinding),  or periodontal disease.  Whatever the reason for the loss […]
May 22, 2010

Snoring in the Spare Room

According to some estimates up to 30% of snorers are sleeping in a separate bedroom from their spouse.  Paul Rosenblatt, author of Two in a Bed: The Social Systemof Couple Bed Sharing states that sleep problems are “probably the most common unresolved difficulty” in marriages.  67% of people who were married or living with someone report that their partner snores […]
May 18, 2010

Dentistry with No Discomfort

Scientists have reported a new discovery that may eventually replace the needles used to give local anesthetic to dental patients.  In the journal, Molecular Pharaceutics, Dr. William Frey and his colleagues wrote that a way had been discovered to administer a common anesthetic through a nasal spray. It seems that when lidocaine is administered to the nose as nose drops […]
May 13, 2010

Geographic Tongue and Bad Breath

Geographic Tongue sounds like the name of an alternative rock band.  Actually it simply means a tongue that has lots of grooves and fissures in it.  This “geography” gives lots of hiding places for anaerobic bacteria to live and breed.  These bacteria cause bad breath.  A geographic tongue does not mean something is wrong with your tongue, it simply means […]
May 12, 2010

Gum Disease and Prostatitis

Case Western Reserve University researchers have suggested that inflammation from periodontal or gum disease and prostate problems may be linked.  In the Journal of Periodontology the researchers discuss their initial study results.  In this study the researchers compared two common markers – the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) which measures inflammation levels in the prostate and the CAL (clinical attachment level) of […]
May 6, 2010

Sleepless Nights and Insulin Resistance

A study completed at Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands has found that previously healthy patients who had just one night of reduced sleep time can show signs of insulin resistance.  This is important because insulin resistance is often a precursor to type 2 diabetes. The lead researcher, Dr. Esther Donga said that over the last 10 years the […]
May 4, 2010

Healthy Smile Tips by Dr. Oz

Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Mike Roizen, authors of YOU: The Owner’s Manual offered up some tips for a healthier smile this week in their newspaper column.  Under the heading  Eat, drink and chew your way to a great smile… they included this advice: 1.  Say no to bottled water.  According to the doctors you’ll help keep plastic bottled out […]
April 30, 2010

Discovery of Laughing Gas No Laughing Matter

Medical and dental patients the world over can thank a young chemist named Humphy Davy who accidentally discovered nitrous oxide or laughing gas.  In 1799 there wasn’t even a word “anesthesia”.   When surgery was performed the doctors of the day actually believed that pain was a good thing – they believed that it helped the body rebound faster. The story […]
April 26, 2010

Keep Your Teeth Healthy

Most people believe that tooth decay is the number one reason why people lose teeth.  Not true – actually more teeth are lost because of gum disease.  Gum disease is usually found in people who have a poor diet or who neglect brushing and flossing regularly.  Alcoholism, auto-immune disorders and certain steroid drugs and cancer therapies can also leave people […]
April 25, 2010

Alternatives to Mercury Dental Amalgams

Dental amalgam or silver  fillings  have been used for over 150 years.  They were initially created as a low cost alternative to gold fillings.  The original recipe contained silver shavings, zinc, copper, tin and mercury.  We now understand that mercury is a powerful toxin.  This controversial substance is still  used by some dentists because of its low cost. In addition […]
April 21, 2010

How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

How To Get a Good Night's Sleep on NPR
April 15, 2010

Headache Pain

The cause of many headache episodes is not always the dreaded “migraine”.  Often headache patients have spent years going from doctor to doctor trying to find a cure for their pain.   The answer for many of these headache sufferers can be proper diagnosis and treatment for their temporomandibular joint disorder, commonly known as TMJ or TMD. The temporomandibular joint is […]
April 13, 2010

Dental Abscess – Frequently Asked Questions

What is an abscess and how did I get one? A dental abscess is an accumulation of pus that can form in the gum but generally forms in the bone and drains either through the gums or through a tooth.  These events are painful and usually start with a bacterial infection either inside the pulp of your tooth or in […]
April 8, 2010

Stroke Patients and Sleep Apnea

A study in the October 2009 issue of the Neurology Journal discovered that sleep apnea, including central, obstructive or mixed type, was present in 50%-70% of stroke patients. The scientists involved in the study “Sleep-Related Breathing and Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Ischemic Stroke” recommended that all stroke patients be screened for sleep apnea.  The finding of this study are extremely valuable […]
April 6, 2010

Sleep Apnea Dangers

Untreated Sleep Apnea and Your Brain GAHANNA, OH – A study in the February 2010 issue of the journal SLEEP found reduced amounts of brain “gray matter” in multiple areas of the brains of patients suffering from severe sleep apnea.  This study suggests that many of the problems that go along with untreated sleep apnea:  memory loss, heart disturbances, breathing […]
April 3, 2010

Oral Health Care Ohio

The International Diabetes Foundation is stressing the importance for diabetic patients to have the healthiest teeth and gums possible in their new clinical guidelines.