Dentistry- Saving Lives

Dentistry – Saving Lives.

Gum Disease - Oral Cancer - Sleep Apnea... These are unseen diseases that can be addressed by a knowledgeable dentist.

The correlation between gum disease and cardiac disease is well documented.  Healthy gums – healthier heart.  Brush, floss and see your hygienist/dentist regularly to keep gums as healthy as possible.  Click here for more information on how healthy gums help keep our bodies healthy.

Every time a new patient comes in our office our exam begins with an oral cancer screening.  I am amazed that a large percentage of people have never had this before. In our office the cancer screening is performed at each hygiene visit as well.  If caught early it can be managed.  If not the consequences can be disastrous.

Most people who suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are unaware of their condition.  What is worse is that their physicians focus on co-morbidities such as high blood pressure or GERD that may be influenced by the root of the problem, sleep apnea.

People with untreated sleep apnea have been sleep deprived for a long time. Weeks, months, years, of poor sleep along with stressful schedules is a recipe for physical disaster.

The Wisconsin Sleep Cohort study followed the death rate of 1,522 people ages thirty to sixty with and without sleep apnea.   Those with mild and moderate sleep apnea had twice the death rate as compared to those without sleep apnea.  Those with severe sleep apnea had a death rate five times higher than those without sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is a fatal disease.

While CPAP is usually the first line of treatment and can be very effective, many people who have been prescribed a CPAP machine to treat their sleep apnea will not be able to wear it or just refuse to wear it.  What is worse is that these people may not be aware there is an alternative to CPAP.  Oral appliances that are well adjusted can manage sleep apnea in many cases. 

Oral Appliances that treat snoring and sleep apnea are similar to sports mouth guards and orthodontic retainers. They are plastic devices that hold the jaw in a protruded position during sleep. This position brings the tongue forward preventing it from falling to the back of the throat and collapsing the airway.
Additionally this position places tension on the tonsilar pillars and soft palate helping to create an open airway.  An open airway during sleep allows for healthy undisturbed sleep and makes it less likely to develop the medically related problems associated with sleep apnea.

For more information please visit our web sites.

http://www.DentistryInPhiladelphia.com/

http://www.PhiladelphiaDentalSleepMedicine.com/

Or feel free to call directly 215-735-8844.

Dr. Carl Steinberg