Livonia Dentist Can Help Ease Your Headache Pain

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Finding the Source of Headache Pain

Are you suffering from regular, relentless headaches? You may want to visit your Livonia dentist, Dr. James Stewart, as well as your doctor to determine the source of your pain, particularly if jaw pain accompanies your headaches.

Due to the close anatomical link between the head, jaw, and neck, the root cause of your pain can be difficult to discern. The pain and tension you’re experiencing may cause you to clench your teeth and tighten your jaw muscles, thereby exacerbating your headaches and setting up a cycle of pain. (more…)

filed under: Healthy Living, TMJ

How Fish Oil Can Alleviate Gum Disease Symptoms

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Fish OilWhile fish products might not be the best path to good breath, recent work by Dr. Alison Coates from the University of South Australia suggests that it might be a beneficial therapy for gum disease. Over half of all American adults suffer from some degree of periodontal disease, and the disease itself has been linked to a number of other health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and oral and pancreatic cancers.  (more…)

filed under: Gum Health, Preventive Dentistry

Affordable Sleep Apnea Treatment From Dr. Stewart

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Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can result in anything from snoring and mild morning headaches to poor mental health and memory impairment. For the loved ones of patients who suffer from sleep apnea, the snoring associated with the condition can deprive them of their sleep, as well. Your Livonia dentist is committed to finding the sleep apnea solution that fits best fits your needs, without causing you to lose sleep over the expense.

Sleep Apnea Treatments

The most common treatment for sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure machine, or “CPAP.” The breathing machine is effective at alleviating the breathing issues associated with sleep apnea, but only about half of the patients that try it stick with it. The noise emitted by the machine keeps some from being able to sleep, and others complain of a claustrophobic feeling due to the mask. For mild to moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Stewart offers an alternative to the CPAP machine. (more…)

filed under: Sleep Apnea

Dental Insurance and End-of-Year Considerations

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For most patients with dental insurance, dental plans will expire at the end of the year. With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s more important than ever to schedule your appointments. Livonia dentist Dr. Stewart explains why you should take advantage of your dental benefits before the end of the year.

Delaying Dental Care

If visiting Dr. Stewart is something you’ve been meaning to do, but just haven’t quite got around to it, now is the time to schedule your appointment. Your wallet and your teeth will thank you. We recommend that you come in for professional dental checkups and cleanings at least twice a year, to supplement your daily brushing and flossing routine. If you haven’t managed to make it to your first visit, better late than never. If you’re due for your second visit, then now is the time, before your insurance benefits expire. (more…)

filed under: General

Praise for Dr. Stewart from a Happy Patient

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As Dr. James Stewart and his team well know, choosing a dentist can be a difficult task. Not all dentists are equally equipped to handle patients’ needs, and reasons for a dental visit are many and varied. Having a positive relationship with your dentist is mutually beneficial, which is why today we are happy to present you with a testimonial from one of our many happy patients. (more…)

filed under: Dr. Stewart, Family Dentistry

Livonia Dentist Discusses How to Protect Against Tooth Decay

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Brushing your teeth at least twice a day is the most basic fundamental of good oral hygiene. When coupled with flossing, you have laid the groundwork to fight cavities and stave off tooth decay, the number one cause of tooth loss. Recent research has provided us with an additional weapon against tooth decay, and its use produces profound results. How would you like to boost your cavity-fighting ability by up to 400% by adding just one simple step to your daily dental routine?

The Product: High-Fluoride Toothpaste

The research on the efficacy of high-fluoride toothpaste is now complete. Not only is high-fluoride toothpaste extremely beneficial, but when combined with a new method of application, the level of protection derived from the fluoride can be quadrupled.

The “Massage” Method

A new method, developed by professor Dowen Birkhed, of the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy, involves rubbing the toothpaste onto your teeth with a finger. This “massage” method has proven to be at least as effective as a third brushing, in that it increases the amount of fluoride in the mouth. By massaging the fluoride onto each tooth, you maximize the contact with your teeth, which boosts the cavity-fighting effects. However, this is not a replacement to regular brushing, but an additional treatment. (more…)

filed under: Uncategorized

How Coconut Oil Can Combat Tooth Decay

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Scientists have discovered that digested coconut oil is a natural antibiotic that could be incorporated into dental care products.

The team of Irish scientists, from the Athlone Institute of Technology, tested enzyme-treated coconut oils against strains of Streptococcus bacteria. One form of Streptococcus, Streptococcus mutans, is the acid-producing bacterium that causes tooth decay.

(more…)

filed under: Dental Advancements, Preventive Dentistry

Your Livonia Dentist Offers Dental Advice to Expectant Mothers

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Among the dizzying array of changes your body goes through during pregnancy, there are a few that could seriously affect your oral health, and in turn, the well-being of your baby. Nearly everyone knows that proper nutrition is crucial to aiding the healthy development of your little one, but how often do you think about the germs in your mouth and what effect they might have?

Morning Sickness and Dry Mouth

It’s no secret that stomach acids are, by nature, corrosive. A few bouts of morning sickness are enough to weaken your tooth enamel and put you at greater risk for cavities. Brushing and flossing can also seem like a greater chore when dealing with morning sickness, but backsliding on these oral hygiene essentials is a great way to encourage cavities and gum disease.

(more…)

filed under: Healthy Living, Preventive Dentistry

Untreated Sleep Apnea a Life Threatening Disorder, Says Livonia Dentist

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Sleep Apnea: The Silent Thief

Do you drag through your day? Do you feel listless and sluggish even though you got plenty of sleep the night before? Do you sometimes wake up with a raw throat and an extreme thirst? Has your sleeping partner mentioned that you snore loudly or even make choking sounds during the night? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may suffer from a sleeping disorder called sleep apnea. Apnea refers to a period during sleep where the airway becomes blocked and you stop breathing for a few seconds up to a few minutes. When you stop breathing, your brain awakens, causing multiple sleep disturbances during the night. So even though you may have been in bed for eight hours, you were not getting restful sleep.

Common Causes of Sleep Apnea

The most common type of sleep apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), occurs when the muscles in your throat — which usually hold the airway rigid and allow air to flow freely – relax during sleep to the point that they obstruct the flow of air. When your brain senses that the intake of oxygen has stopped, it forces you to wake up which, in turn, causes the throat muscles to tighten up and the breath to flow. This awakening is generally accompanied (more…)

filed under: About Sleep, Dr. Stewart, Healthy Living

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