In the United States, over 12 million adults exhibit symptoms of sleep apnea. Patients with sleep apnea are deprived of necessary rest and have an increased risk of medical conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, and stroke. For many, the only treatment option is an uncomfortable CPAP machine. In today’s blog, your Livonia family dentist, Dr. James Stewart, discusses an alternative to the CPAP machine that can help you finally get the good night’s rest.
Our teeth are tough. The enamel coating teeth is one of the hardest substances in the human body, and our teeth are designed to withstand a lifetime of wear and tear. Occasionally, our teeth can become damaged. Chips and cracks appear, weakening our teeth and leaving them vulnerable to tooth decay and infection. In today’s blog, your Livonia family dentist, Dr. James Stewart, discuss the symptoms, and treatments, for damaged teeth.
Across the country, millions of people have difficulty sleeping. In fact, according to a BMJ research study, last year over 60 million Americans turned to over-the-counter sleep aids. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that these drugs can actually make sleeping more difficult. In today’s blog, your Livonia family dentist, Dr. James Stewart, discusses the downsides of over-the-counter sleep aids and offers a few easy tips for getting the rest you need.
So what do you think? Do kids need fillings in their baby teeth? Baby teeth will fall out eventually after all, so would neglecting a filling do any harm? While that thought seems logical enough, it doesn’t consider the many possible complications that can stem from an untreated cavity. Picture your child’s smile. Nothing could warm your heart more, right? Well what if those adorable little teeth became a tangled mess all because of a neglected filling? It’s a distinct possibility if the untreated cavity leads to premature tooth loss. Your Livonia family dentist, Dr. James Stewart, explains why fillings are a must, even for baby teeth. (more…)
Do you wish your smile could be brighter? Are your teeth misaligned, or damaged due to cracks or chips? Many people avoid taking the necessary steps to improve their smiles because they don’t have the time for multiple procedures and office visits. Thankfully, a dental procedure exists that straightens teeth, erases stains, and repairs dental damage in as little as two visits. In today’s blog, your Livonia cosmetic dentist, Dr. James Stewart, discusses the benefits, and convenience, of porcelain veneers.
Is your breath a source of embarrassment? Most people deal with bad breath at least once a day, typically in the morning. Sometimes, however, your foul breath may not always dissipate by the time you leave your house, and halitosis (chronic bad breath) can ruin more than just your morning. To help you keep your breath fresh and under control, your Livonia dentist Dr. James Stewart offers these tips to eliminate your morning breath.
Can you start your day without that first cup of joe? Over 54% of Americans drink coffee and spend an average of over $1000 dollars a year on the beverage. But is all that coffee good for you? Your Livonia cosmetic dentist, Dr. James Stewart, explains the risks, and surprising health benefits, of coffee consumption.
Tossing and turning, stealing the blankets, restless legs: all of these can keep your sleeping partner awake. Of all nighttime distractions, snoring keeps people awake the most. In fact, 59% of adults say their partner snores. If your snoring is loud enough to keep your partner awake, you may also experience difficulty sleeping. Loud snoring is linked to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Dr. James Stewart, your Livonia dentist, explains how snoring disrupts your partner’s sleep, and your own. (more…)
Did you know that a little time outside strengthens your teeth? Vitamin D has been shown to help teeth become stronger and more resistant to cavities, and the sun’s UV rays are the best source of vitamin D. Your Livonia family dentist, Dr. James Stewart, explains the importance of sunshine in keeping your smile healthy and bright.
Sleeping through the night re-energizes you to work throughout the day more productively and creatively. Some people rarely lose sleep, while others constantly wake up through the night. You can tell who doesn’t always sleep well by a lack of short-term memory or sour mood. Loved ones of people who wake up feeling like they didn’t sleep enough may report loud snoring. In this case, losing sleep could signal obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Luckily, Dr. James Stewart, your Livonia dentist, can help you get a betternight’s sleep with OSA combination therapy.
OSA sufferers wake hundreds of time a night due to a lack of oxygen. Soft tissues in the mouth and throat block the airway, causing sleepers to stop breathing for short periods of time. The body wakes to restart the flow of oxygen. Moments of breathlessness occur so frequently, that the body never reaches the state of deep sleep where we restore our energy. OSA sufferers may never realize they wake up so often, since they usually immediately fall asleep after beginning to breathe again. A classic sign of OSA is loud snoring, or the sound of soft oral tissue vibrating while you breathe. If you can’t stop snoring and feel tired after sleeping all night, you may suffer from OSA.
Obstructive sleep apnea puts more than 12 million Americans at risk of depression and high blood pressure, among other health problems. To help patients sleep through the night and live healthier lives, Dr. Stewart offers OSA combination therapy. This form of OSA treatment combines a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP) and an oral appliance to help patients breathe without interruption during sleep. The CPAP machine pumps air through a mask, keeping oral soft tissues from obstructing the airway. To ensure consistent breathing, patients also wear an oral appliance that positions the lower jaw outward, which allows normal breathing to occur without tissue in the throat blocking air flow.
If you feel tired after what seems like a full night’s sleep, or can’t stop snoring, talk to Dr. Stewart about OSA combination therapy. Schedule an appointment at our 48154 dentist office by calling (734) 425-4400. We welcome patients from Livonia, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Novi, Dearborn Heights, Dearborn, Garden City, Westland, Redford, and surrounding areas.