Dr Gatti's Blog a Lawrence Dentist Reflections

Why should you see a dentist if you suffer from sleep apena?

Many of you have asked for some clarification as to what is the concern about snoring and/or sleep apnea, and sleep apnea treatment. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is an illness in which the soft tissues at the back of the throat completely close off the airway so that the air cannot flow into the lungs. In turn, this causes airway blockage and can lead to the reduction of oxygen reaching the brain and the other organs of the body. When this happens, the brain alerts the muscles of the airway to tighten up and unblock the air passage. When this occurs, a loud gasp or snort is usually heard and then breathing begins again. This process of blocking and unblocking the airway causes significant disruption of sleep and is referred as sleep apnea. 

People with sleep apnia are suffering from air starvation every night, therefore reducing the quality of their life during the day. This air starvation leads to reduced alertness, difficulty learning, daytime sleepiness, hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetic complications, impotency, and increased risk of traffic accidents. Many people with sleep apnea, also called OSA, will not or cannot wear their continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) devise and this is where we can be invaluable in the treatment of their disease. For this reason we work closely with our clients and their physicians to treat their OSA and have a profound affect on the long term quality of life for each individual.

You may be asking, “Why is my dentist the one treating my medical problem?”  The fact of the matter is that it is because of our expertise with the teeth, tongue, jaws and jaw joints that the dentist is the best person to fit and follow up with the appliance. The dentist role in the treatment is not to diagnose and dictate treatment. At least when I am involved, it is your physician (whether it be your internist, ENT, sleep physician, pulmonologist or cardiologist) who will determine a sleep apnea treatment, my role is to make the correct appliance for you and then adjust it so that the best outcome is realized. This is why I believe it is very important to keep all of your specialists informed of what we are doing and how it is working for you.

Snoring or Sleep Apnea?

Snoring never seems to be near as much of an issue for the one snoring as it does for their bed partner, or in some cases, everyone else in the house, hotel, campsite…. you name it, we have heard it. I have recently seen an individual that has been left behind on their annual hunting trip because his snoring is too disruptive for the group. Eventually it just stops being funny. 

The noise occurs when the soft palate and the uvula vibrate against the back of the tongue or the base of the tongue. As you fall asleep, the soft tissue at the back of the throat, the muscles that line the airway, and the tongue muscles all relax. When this occurs, the tongue drops back into the airway which causes it to narrow. As air passes through this narrow airway, it moves faster and causes the tissues to vibrate against each other, which creates a rattling or snoring sound. As the air passage continues to narrow, pressure increases in the airway and the snoring becomes even louder.

There are a multitude of factors that affect snoring. If this is a concern for you or someone you know, who just may be affecting your ability to sleep, we may very well be able to help both of you. If you want us to evaluate what might be helpful for you, please contact us so we can look at your particular issues. At the very least we can help you determine if this is simply an annoying problem or it is indeed a serious medical and health issue called Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

If you want to whiten your teeth, the best place to start is with a healthy mouth. In order to achieve the great, long lasting teeth whitening, it is important that you are free of decay, gum tissue disease or cracked teeth. The number one complaint while whitening is tooth sensitivity, which can be exacerbated by all of the aforementioned.

Begin the process with a dental check up. We can discuss all of the options, be it over the counter teeth whitening strips, professional take home custom trays or in office systems and help you decide what will work best for you. We will first determine why your teeth are discolored – injury, stains from tobacco, antibiotic treatment as child, or other causes- then the suitable solution can be advised. If it is also important to realize that only natural teeth will be lightened. Existing crowns, veneers, fillings and other bonded materials will not change color with the whitening gels.

I would also be cautious of tooth whiteners advertised on the web and infomercials. The American Dental Assoc. is concerned about the safety of tooth-whitening chemicals and procedures that are preformed without the care or supervision of a licensed dentist. There is currently legislation being proposed that will eliminate tooth whitening Kiosks that are appearing in malls and salons. Although these facilities may be staffed with people wearing scrubs or laboratory coats who may look line health professionals, most often times that is not the case. In fact, the individuals staffing these facilities most likely have zero health care training and no license to provide health care services. Bottom line, we have been doing this for a long time. We can help advise you of the possible pitfalls and more importantly how they can be avoided. If you are looking for ways to brighten and lighten your teeth and smile, we can help you get the best possible results.