Sapphire Dental Care

Dying in your Sleep?

2012-02-17T16:43:00.002+11:00

Sleep Apnoea Kills!

Are you dying while you sleep?

Two recent studies clearly show a significant increase inmortality risk of untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Both studies werefollowed for 14 and 18 years with large samples of subjects. The studies showedbetween 3-6 times the risk of death solely from OSA .

Sleep apnoea is an event during sleep whereby the airwayeither becomes totally occluded (apnoeic event) or partially occluded (hypopneicevent). An event has to last more than 10 seconds and you must record more than5 events per hour to fall into the lowest category of the sleep apnoeiccontinuum. Slight is 5-15 events per hour, moderate is 15-30 events per hourand severe is above 30 events per hour. Just imagine being choked and youreally start to get the picture.

So what are the dental implications of sleep apnoea? We havenoticed a high correlation of tooth wear and tear and fractured teeth fillings.People tend to grind their teeth more when they are apnoeic. People have morehead and neck pain, especially in the morning as well as having clicking andpopping jaw joints. A big one for us that we have also noticed is oesophagealreflux whereby acid from the stomach ends up in the mouth and, over time,dissolves tooth structure.

Sapphire Dental Care ( www.sapphiredentalcare.com.au) nowroutinely screen our clients for OSA utilising Sleep Services Australia. One ofour recent finds was a patient who was obstructing 70 (yes, seventy!) times perhour. She was always fatigued, had headaches from clenching and grinding somuch. She was diagnosed with OSA and the Sleep Physician recommended a MandibularAdvancement Device. She was fitted with the MAD and is now a changed person.Honestly, she can't believe the difference breathing properly at night has madeto her quality of life.

For more information look at these sites:

www.sleepservicesaustralia.com.au

www.somnomed.com.au

One visit Dentistry

2012-02-08T19:22:00.000+11:00

CEREC 4. Wow!
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Sleep Breathing Disorders

2011-11-21T14:31:00.001+11:00

Sleep is critical to a healthy life and without the right amount and correct balance of sleep, our bodies slip into disease. Sleep is essential for repair, rejuvenation and memory consolidation; sleep IS important.

Welcome to SAPPHIRE DENTAL CARE

2011-11-21T14:19:00.000+11:00

Care and compassion are what we offer at Sapphire Dental Care. We pride ourselves on providing world class dental services in our state-of-the-art facility. Technology and training form the cornerstones of our philosophy, which is to provide gentle and precise services to you. Our ultimate goal is always Health.

If you need a new dental home in the Bega Valley and want to discuss your needs further, please contact us on (02) 6495 4244.

Our opening hours are:

Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5.00pm
Friday 8.30am to 2.30pm

Our address is:

2 / 31 Merimbula Drive
Merimbula NSW 2548

Click here for a map.

For more information, visit our website at www.sapphiredental.com.au