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Did you know that your dentist can spot serious health risks like... oral cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and premature birth?
Most people would never think a
trip to their dentist would actually save their lives. Dental appointments
are typically made to either relieve pain or help maintain a beautiful smile.
But, we should really think of our dentist as a health care provider and part
of the team of physicians that helps us to maintain our overall health.
Dentists, after all, are physicians of the mouth. Although this may seem like
a new concept to some people, dentists are trained to diagnose diseases of
the mouth in both the hard tissue (teeth) and soft tissue (tongue, roof of
the mouth, lips, and gums). During every visit, the dentist inspects these
tissues for any changes that could be the warning signs of disease. A regular
visit to your dentist will not only help you and your family maintain your
overall health...but it could also save your life.
Oral Cancer
Over 30,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. Oral cancer has a higher death rate than cancers of the ovaries, cervix, liver, brain, testes, kidney, and skin, as well as Hodgkin's disease. If diagnosed early, there is a better chance for survival. Your dentist is trained to observe changes in the soft tissue of the mouth and recognize precancerous lesions. These changes may include ulcers on the lips, white patches on the cheeks, or ulcers under the tongue.
Heart Disease
Studies have shown a connection between gum disease, heart disease, and stroke. Gum disease makes gum tissue weaker, allowing oral bacteria to enter the blood stream. Dental bacteria can cause blood clots or a clumping together of blood cells. Blood clots can travel through the blood stream, causing a stroke or heart attack. Regular visits to your dentist, along with recommended treatments, will assist in removing this risk factor.
Diabetes
Many people with diabetes were initially diagnosed with the disease as a result of a routine dental visit. Your dentist is not the health care provider who can diagnose whether or not you have diabetes; however, dentists often suspect diabetes during their treatment of gum disease. Periodontal disease is considered one of the complications of diabetes. In some people, the presence of periodontal disease decreases their ability to control blood sugar. When a person treated for gum disease shows no improvement following treatment and good oral hygiene, a referral to his or her physician is in order.
Pregnancy
Recent studies have investigated the connection between premature births and gum disease. Some investigators speculate that as many as 18 percent of all cases of premature births may be associated with gum disease. Pregnant women produce substances known as regulators, which determine when the process of birth is to occur. Once these regulators reach a certain level, they signal the birth process to begin. Gum disease produces regulators, known as prostaglandins. In a pregnant woman, prostaglandins may send out a false signal to the body, thereby initiating the birth process prematurely. Regularly scheduled maintenance visits to your dentist are critical to maintaining healthy gums, especially prior to and during pregnancy.
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of
New Jersey hopes that you make an appointment with your dentist when you are
in pain or need a cleaning. At the same time, please consider how important
it is to see your dentist regularly to detect the early warning signs of
problems that could affect your overall health. These visits could actually
save your life.
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Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Regular Visits to the Dentist Can Save Your Life
Monday, November 21, 2011
Prevention is the Best Medicine: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Sleep Apnea and Oral Systemic Disease!
Docsmile.com, Red Bank is the New Jersey dental pioneer for preventative measures to correct sleep apnea issues as well as oral systemic disease. "Sleep apnea has been linked to anxiety and depression, and cardiovascular disease. Oral systemic disease leads to near every medical disorder in the body," informs Dr. Glenn A. MacFarlane, DMD, dentist, owner, and Executive Director of Docsmile.com.
"A state-wide initiative is underway to integrate my dental practice with physicians at large to work with them to alleviate mass disease through preventative dental measure. Education, information, and cooperation are all key for the success of this far reaching effort, and my office provides all of this," explains Dr. MacFarlane.
"Unfortunately sleep apnea is a growing concern in families," states Dr. MacFarlane. "Three types of sleep apnea dominate, of which, obtrusive (OSA) is the most common. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night, and often for a minute or longer.
Obtrusive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.
Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strink anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences.
Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other caridovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehichle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated.
Threr are mainly 3 type of treatment for sleep apnea; breathing devices, oral appliances ad surgery. The goal of these treatments is to restore regular breathing during sleep and to relieve symptoms of sleep apnea, such as loud snoring and daytime sleepiness.
Oral appliances can be used for mild to moderate sleep apnea and loud snoring. These appliances are the most comfortable of the 3 treatment types. They are fitted to your upper and lower teeth, pulling the lower jaw forward, and keeing your tongue from blocking your airway while you sleep. The other 2 types of treatment have stumbling blocks. Breathing devices usually employ large, cumbersome facemasks, while surgery is invasive, sometimes radical, and has limited success. "Oral appliances and other remedies are available through my practice," shares Dr. MacFarlane.
"Docsmile.com, Red Bank is in the process of expanding its dental offices to also create a dental education and diagnostic center in-house. From there, it will be a full service practice and education canter with the intention of creating overall patient wellness through preventative dental measures. Longtime and new patients, as well as physicians and other medical professions, stand to benefit greatly from our initiative," concludes Dr. MacFarlane.
For more information about sleep apnea, contact:
DocSmile
Glenn A. MacFarlane, D.M.D.
252 Broad Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
(732)-530-4020
"A state-wide initiative is underway to integrate my dental practice with physicians at large to work with them to alleviate mass disease through preventative dental measure. Education, information, and cooperation are all key for the success of this far reaching effort, and my office provides all of this," explains Dr. MacFarlane.
"Unfortunately sleep apnea is a growing concern in families," states Dr. MacFarlane. "Three types of sleep apnea dominate, of which, obtrusive (OSA) is the most common. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night, and often for a minute or longer.
Obtrusive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.
Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strink anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences.
Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other caridovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehichle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated.
Threr are mainly 3 type of treatment for sleep apnea; breathing devices, oral appliances ad surgery. The goal of these treatments is to restore regular breathing during sleep and to relieve symptoms of sleep apnea, such as loud snoring and daytime sleepiness.
Oral appliances can be used for mild to moderate sleep apnea and loud snoring. These appliances are the most comfortable of the 3 treatment types. They are fitted to your upper and lower teeth, pulling the lower jaw forward, and keeing your tongue from blocking your airway while you sleep. The other 2 types of treatment have stumbling blocks. Breathing devices usually employ large, cumbersome facemasks, while surgery is invasive, sometimes radical, and has limited success. "Oral appliances and other remedies are available through my practice," shares Dr. MacFarlane.
"Docsmile.com, Red Bank is in the process of expanding its dental offices to also create a dental education and diagnostic center in-house. From there, it will be a full service practice and education canter with the intention of creating overall patient wellness through preventative dental measures. Longtime and new patients, as well as physicians and other medical professions, stand to benefit greatly from our initiative," concludes Dr. MacFarlane.
For more information about sleep apnea, contact:
DocSmile
Glenn A. MacFarlane, D.M.D.
252 Broad Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
(732)-530-4020
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