Recently Our Team @ Orchard Scotts Dental attended a Sleep Apnea Lecture with Sleep Doctors Dr Kenny Pang, Neurologist Dr Lim and german Dentist Dr  Schwarting, organized by the College of General Dental Practitoners Singapore(CGDP).

It’s amazing what we can see in the mouth and find out using Dental Radiographs. Dentist play a big part in helping to co-diagnose and treating patients with Sleep Disorders. There is a big impact that Sleep Apnea has on a patients life. Sleep Apnea has causes many Failed marriages, Unhappy spouses, Sleepless nights, Grouchy People. On a more serious note, sleep Apnea left untreated can lead to High blood pressure, Stroke, Heart failure, irregular heart beats, and heart attacks, Diabetes,Depression.. or even.. DEATH!

Jordan Sparks may just be singing the subconscious world of Sleep apnea patient.

Her Lyrics,

“Tell me how I’m supposed to breathe with no air
If I should die before I wake
It’s ’cause you took my breath away
Losing you is like living in a world with no air
I’m here alone, didn’t wanna leave
My heart won’t move, it’s incomplete
Wish there was a way that I can make you understand”

Jordan Sparks and Chris Brown -NO Air.. NO Air …

The Greek word “apnea” literally means “without breath.”

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep.Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.

Animation of Sleep Apnea Patient.

It can be tough to identify sleep apnea on your own, since the most prominent symptoms only occur when you’re asleep. But you can get around this difficulty by asking a bed partner to observe your sleep habits or recording yourself during sleep.

Major Symptoms:

• Loud and chronic snoring
• Choking, snorting, or gasping during sleep
• Long pauses in breathing
• Daytime sleepiness, no matter how much time you spend in bed

Other Common Symptoms include:

• Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Morning headaches
• Restless or fitful sleep
• Insomnia or night time awakening
• Going to the bathroom frequently during the night
• Waking up feeling out of breath
• Forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating
• Moodiness, irritability, or depression

Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist.

Treatment Options (Vary from severity of Apnea):

• Oral Appliance Therapy
• CPAP
• Surgery
• Behavioral Therapy
• Medication

Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

Amongst other treatment options In a Dental perspective:

Oral appliances may be an option for patients. The SomnoMed MAS™ is a Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS) that treats snoring and mild to moderate OSA by moving the lower jaw forward slightly. This forward movement tightens the soft tissue and muscles of the upper airway, which prevents obstruction of the airway while you sleep. The tightening created by the device also prevents the tissues of the upper airway from vibrating as air passes over them – the most common cause of loud snoring.

It works by preventing airway obstruction and allowing the patient to breathe easily and continuously. Worn in the mouth like an orthodontic appliance during sleep, oral appliances keep the soft tissue from collapsing and interrupting normal breathing patterns.

SomnoMed MAS™

…. Sings….

“No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air

But somehow I’m still alive inside
You took my breath, but I survived
I don’t know how, but I don’t even care”

Imagine Choking in the middle of the night. Not Fun.

How many times have we heard this before? On Trains station posters, television,magazines,even the milk carton tells us how much FAT and Vitamins we are putting in us.  Well.. Here’s the latest update!

NEW FACT #1:How good you clean you mouth affects your overall health!

Your dental health may be a sign not only of how diligently you brush and floss but also of your risk of stroke and heart disease.

In the past, oral health has been associated only with the mouth. New research has found that the advanced stage of gum disease, Periodontitis is linked with health problems such as heart disease and stroke.

There are two major stages of gum disease: Gingivitis and Periodontitis. Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease and can easily be reversed if diagnosed early. Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis, which includes irreversible bone loss. Poor oral hygiene is the most common cause of periodontitis.

NEW FACT #2: Healthy habits can affect dental health.

The importance of diet in maintaining optimum body health is well recognized. An unhealthy diet has been implicated as a risk factor for several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and certain cancers.Vitamin C is believed to help repair and maintain healthy connective tissue.

Vitamin C intake, regular

Exercise and the maintenance of proper body weight have all been shown to reduce C-reactive protein (CRP), the inflammation marker that’s been associated with periodontitis. This in turn creates blood clots that commonly lead to stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular events.

A Tailor custom makes beautiful clothes that fit perfectly to your measurements.

An Architect Designs and takes in consideration the building’s design and function.

A Dentist is pretty much a combination of the best aspects of the Tailor and the Architect.

Ever wondered how your smile can be tailored for you?

Ever wondered how you can design your smile to be functional and esthetic?

“For most females, the “Enhanced” smile style is one of our most popular designs. Note that the second teeth from the center are a little shorter than the front teeth. This is a youthful effect we call “the gull wing” that really looks nice on females. The “Hollywood”style above is a little more “toothy” and works well for males and especially those wanting to show off a little more teeth. The “Oval” style might look best on someone with a very round face. Notice how very round the edges of the four front teeth are? The“Aggressive” style has tooth edges that are flat almost straight across. We use it mostly for men and it simulates someone who might be a bit older and have a habit of grinding his teeth. The “Youthful” style simulates the shape of unworn teeth that might be seen in a 14 year old. Although many adults like this name because they think it might give them the illusion of being significantly younger, we almost always utilize this design in much younger individuals. The “Mature” style has squarish edges on the four front teeth and is another design that we frequently use for men. The “Softened” style is a very popular design that we use for those wanting their smile to help make them appear a little younger than their years.”

- Taken from Porcelain Veneers and Smile Design, Part I

Ask your dentist today about a customized design for a It-Fits-Me-Just-Right  Smile.

There may be more to the song “Dont Worry,Be Happy” than just a catchy tune – putting on a happy face is actually good for you, and those around you.

Besides research showing health benefits of laughter ranging from increasing one’s threshold for pain to reducing food cravings to affecting your posture. There’s even an emerging therapeutic field known as humor therapy to help people heal more quickly, among other things. Humor also has several important stress relieving benefits.

Ever seen one of those everyday grumpy souls?  They slouch, Everything about them screams how lousy everything in their life is. We all know people like this. Gosh, if they ever smiled you’d expect their face to crack.

But it actually takes a lot less muscles to smile than to frown or scowl, so apart from creating misery for themselves they are also doing more work to achieve that result. So here are 5 reasons why you should smile more often:

1. Manage Your Hormones:

Have a good Laugh!

Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, adrenaline, dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.

2. Nice Internal Workout:

A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart. Start working those Abs and shoulders!

3.It Feels Like Eating 2,000 Chocolate Bars

We have the release of endorphins after laughing to thank for.  Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

According to The British Dental Health Foundation, a smile gives the same level of stimulation equivalent to eating 2,000 chocolate bars.

Dr. Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, pointed out, “We have long been drawing attention to the fact that smiling increases happiness both in yourself and those around you, so it is good to receive the backing of this scientific research … A healthy smile can improve your confidence, help you make friends and help you to succeed in your career … “

4. Positive Frame Of Mind:

Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a than other mere distractions. It will make you happy and put you in a positive frame of mind. A Smile a day keep you Happy all day!

5. Social Benefits Of Laughter:

Laughter connects us with others. Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!

What’s even better is that the more you smile, the more others will too. Says psychologist Dr. David Lewis, “Seeing a smile creates what is termed as a ‘halo’ effect, helping us to remember other happy events more vividly, feel more optimistic, more positive and more motivated.”

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead … Smile! …and again!

Guess What our TEAM was doing over the week!?

We had a intense 3 day Prime Practice TEAM systems workshop from 7th April to 9th April 2010. At Orchard Scotts Dental we understand that in order to provide high level of care for you we have to refine our operation systems and build on our team communications,and that was precisely what the 3 day Prime Practice course did for us!

TEAM= Together Everyone Achieves More

At Orchard Scotts Dental We believe in a TEAM approach.

To find out more about Dr Ronnie Yap ,Dr Jerry Lim , Dr Gan Siok Ngoh and the TEAM’s latest events add us on Facebook!

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lets take a step back..

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Stay Tuned! To see if your guess is spot on!

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