December 22, 2011

Police Often Have Undiagnosed Sleep Disorders

It has been estimated that sleep problems affect one-third to one-half of all Americans causing a huge toll on the individuals and on society as a whole. In a recent screening of almost 5,000 police officers in the US and Canada, about 40% of them tested positive for at least 1 type of sleep disorder. The most common was obstructive […]
December 20, 2011

Quitting Smoking Smart Resolution for the New Year

For smokers it is probably the resolution they make every New Year. Quitting smoking offers all sorts of health benefits and it is well known that smoking contributes to harmful bacteria in the mouth that are responsible for gum disease.  Scientists have also known that when smokers quit, the microbe population in their mouths change.  What they didn’t know was […]
December 13, 2011

Cherry Juice May Improve Sleep Problems

Sleep problems affect about one-third of Americans. Some, such as obstructive sleep apnea, are serious and may be life threatening.  But many more people suffer from problems such as insomnia or waking throughout the night. No matter what the cause, poor sleep quality can lead to serious medical problems over time. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition showed […]
December 9, 2011

Can Dental X-Rays Predict Bone Fractures?

A study from Sweden says that it is possible to use dental X-rays to predict which patients may be at risk of bone fracture. The research was published in the journal Nature Reviews Endocinology and showed that sparse bone structure in the lower jaw is an indicator that the individual is at greater risk for bone fractures in the future. […]
December 7, 2011

Gum Disease Improves With Weight Loss

Can gum disease treatment really work better when people lose weight? Can body weight and gum disease be connected somehow? A recent study from Case Western Reserve University seems to answer yes. Researchers found that when fat cells disappeared the human body was better at fighting off gum disease. The study looked at 31 obese patients with gum disease. Half […]
December 2, 2011

More People Aware of Oral Cancer Dangers

More and more people have become aware of the dangers of oral cancers. The diagnosis and treatment of celebrity patients like Michael Douglas help put this dangerous disease in the news. But do people think that oral cancer screening is important and worthwhile? The answer in Britain seems to be yes. A study completed in Britain showed that almost 90% […]
November 17, 2011

Reduce Your Heart Attack Risk

Researchers  from Taiwan reported this week that people who had their teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year had a 24% lower risk of heart attack and a 13% lower risk of stroke compared to those who did not visit the dentist. Drs. Emily Chen and Hsin-Bang Leu reviewed medical  data on over 51,000 adults who had their teeth […]
November 15, 2011

Mediterranean Diet May Help Sleep Apnea

Researchers have found that eating a Mediterranean diet and exercising  can improve some sleep apnea symptoms. The study published in European Respiratory Journal looked at the impact of the Mediterranean diet on obese sleep apnea patients as compared to patients on a prudent diet. Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep breathing disorders and becomes more prevalent […]
November 8, 2011

Psychiatric Symptoms Worsen With Sleep Apnea

The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can sometimes mimic those of mental illness – lethargy, irritability, forgetfulness. When those suffering from depression or another form of mental illness also have obstructive sleep apnea it can make the mental illness worse and possibly contribute to manic episodes. Unfortunately, screening for sleep disorders in psychiatric patients is rarely done. A new study […]
October 11, 2011

Cellphones, Tinnitus and Your Jaw

Living with your cellphone glued to your ear has now been linked to tinnitus. No, the ringing you may hear is not another call coming in but is a persistent noise or buzzing in the ears called tinnitus. Studies are now showing that people who have been using cellphones for at least four years for 10 minutes a day are […]
September 23, 2011

New Screening Tool for Sleep Apnea?

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night to visit the bathroom? This is called nocturia and new research suggests that nighttime urination frequency can help doctors screen for sleep apnea. Nocturia and sleep apnea have been linked before but this is the first time researchers have sought to discover whether it can predict if someone suffers […]
September 9, 2011

Migraines May Be Malocclusion

About 45 million Americans suffer from headaches each year robbing them of time at work, school or with their families. Attempting to discover the reason for the headaches can be a long, frustrating process which often leads to many visits to physicians and specialists without receiving a diagnosis. Continual headaches or migraines, especially in the morning, may be a sign […]
September 8, 2011

The Perfect Smile in Columbus

Recently some researchers took photos of teens and digitally altered the images so that some showed crooked teeth and others straight teeth. The photos with the straight teeth were rated higher for popularity, sports ability and leadership by other teens. This doesn’t change when we become adults – we can say we aren’t supposed to judge a book by its […]
August 30, 2011

Sleep Type Linked to High Blood Pressure in Older Men

Researchers have discovered that getting enough of a specific type of sleep is linked to high blood pressure risk in older men. The slow wave sleep is one of the deeper stages of sleep and individuals in this stage are very hard to wake up. According to researchers from Harvard Medical school elderly men who are not getting enough of […]
August 25, 2011

The Daily Grind May Be Causing Your Headaches

This is the longest recession in modern history and almost everyone has experienced increased levels of stress. One sign of this stress that we are seeing more frequently is a condition called bruxism, or teeth grinding. Patients clench or grind their teeth, usually at night during sleep, so they don’t even realize they are doing it until a tooth breaks […]
August 17, 2011

CPAP May Cause Facial Changes

Nasal CPAP is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. but a recent study has shown that using nasal CPAP for just three years can cause changes in the position of the jaws and teeth. These finding may raise concerns for patients because CPAP therapy for sleep apnea continues throughout the patients entire life. Other options for treatment include oral […]
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 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 […]