Dr Gatti's Blog a Lawrence Dentist Reflections

What Is The Number One Cause Of Automobile Accidents On American Roads Each Year?

Answer: Tired driving. Sleep apnea is a huge contributing factor.

Sleep apnea deprives people of the rejuvenating sleep they need. Fragmented sleep filled with arousals, high blood pressure and increasing heart rate does not provide for the sleep your body requires. People suffering from sleep apnea are seven to twelve times more likely to be involved in an auto accident because of their excessive sleepiness. Did you know that sleeping only 4 hours results in equivalent reaction times to those of someone with a blood alcohol level of .08%?!

I fear that I am sounding like a broken record, however the amount of undiagnosed sleep apnea is simply scary, it is one of the most under©diagnosed life threatening disorders in our society today. Believe me, driving down the highway, knowing the statistics, takes much of the relaxation out of a trip.

So, for your health and the well being of everyone around us, take this seriously. If you snore and your bed partner has witnessed you gasp for air, talk to us or your physician. If you snore and disrupt those around you, realize that it may be a sign of a serious illness that can compromise your life. For more detailed information on the medical complications that occur with sleep apnea please see Snoring and Sleep Disorders under Client Services on my main website.

Simple snoring can have a similar effect on your bed partner. Whenever I treat someone who snores, I feel like I am doing a 2 for 1 deal. The effect on the bed partner can often times be more dramatic than on the snorer. It becomes much more than being able to sleep in the same bed © although that is not a bad result either.

A beautiful smile is not only cosmetic, it can improve your health and your confidence.

We, at the Lawrence Dental Studio, enjoy giving people a smile makeover. It gives us a good feeling to see their happiness as we improve their looks. But we found that it is not all about looks and that a new smile can improve health and confidence as well.

Because teeth are primarily used for biting and chewing our food, they are the first step to a good digestion. Thoroughly chewing food is important to break it down before the stomach can begin the process of digestion, and the better one chews the easier it is for the digestive system to do its work.

Defective teeth can affect health in other ways, for example decaying teeth may breed bacteria that could be the cause of disease like rheumatism and heart disease.

As we age teeth can become discolored from, cigarettes, coffee, wine and even certain medications. Other common problems we find are that some people have less than perfect teeth, they might have grown in crooked, or damaged at some point.

Broken or missing teeth can affect confidence and well being, sometimes these problems can impact social opportunities and even professional performance.

This is where we as cosmetic dentists can make a difference. We can with a vast array of tools and new technology create perfect teeth.

We may have to address periodontal issues first, like gum disease, sometimes even a gum draft is necessary but with state of the art equipment we can pinpoint the cause of the disease and offer the necessary treatment.

As a Lawrence dentist, I care about the people who visit our dental studio, I am committed not only to give you beautiful smiles but help you improve your oral health as well as your general health, and give you the confidence to face the world smiling.

As a dentist in Lawrence it is my privilege and pleasure to bring you dental health news and information. If you missed my previous post about how we can predict the way your smile will look you can read it here