Sleep Apnea & Snoring – Charlotte Dentist | Cosmetic, Laser, Family Dentistry

Sleep apnea tied to increased risk of stroke; Even mild sleep apnea puts men in danger, study finds

Sleep apnea tied to increased risk of stroke; Even mild sleep apnea puts men in danger, study finds. Here is a topic that is so incredibly important for all men (and women), because it is still so underdiagnosed. Even more importantly, few patients know that your DENTIST may be able to help treat both snoring and sleep apnea with some oral appliance therapy, such as those found on the www.ihatecpap.com website. Another great resource is the www.SnoringIsntSexy.com website and blog, written by a friend and colleague Dr. Larry Barsh. I'm including a couple self-tests/questionnaires here, courtesy of Dr. Barsh. Watermark ARES Questionnaire (you'll need the Adobe Acrobat Reader - click here to download for free) Snoring and Sleep Apnea Self-awareness Toolkit The take-away message here is loud and clear: Snoring and/or sleep apnea are a major health problem; don't ignore them, or you could literally be cutting your life short.

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:42:55-04:00 November 7th, 2010|ANNOUNCEMENTS, Sleep Apnea & Snoring, Snoring|0 Comments

Dr. Oz talks about Periodontal (Gum) Disease and Total Health

I guess it's because I don't watch a lot of TV, but I confess that - until quite recently - I had absolutely no idea who this guy Dr. Oz is. A friend recently told me that Dr. Oz has some really good material about dental health that can be shared, and since it's sometimes easier to use someone else's material instead of having to write it all from scratch myself :-) , I figured I'd check it out, and WOW! I'm impressed! It's sad to say, but many physicians really have no idea about how the health of the mouth is connected to the rest of the body, and how valuable their dental colleagues can be in diagnosing a number of medical conditions. Dr. Oz is definitely not one of them! I'll kick things off here with one of his articles. I have added some bold italics for emphasis (all mine). [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:43:20-04:00 July 13th, 2010|Broken tooth, Bruxism & Parafunction, Bulimia, Cavities, Migraine headaches, Periodontal (Gum) Disease, Sleep Apnea & Snoring, Snoring|0 Comments

Sleep Apnea, Snoring, and Self-Tests/Info.

Snoring Isn't Sexy has recently added a FREE DOWNLOAD eBook and Self-Test on their website. I HIGHLY recommend this website for anyone who has concerns about sleep apnea, who is looking for a dentist in Charlotte who treats sleep apnea with oral appliances, and general information.

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:44:53-04:00 May 26th, 2009|Bruxism & Parafunction, Sleep Apnea & Snoring, Snoring, TMJ Problems, Migraines and Headache Relief|0 Comments

13yo girl with back pain, headaches, jaw pain, acid erosion of teeth, ADD, gastric reflux, sleeps poorly….

So what's the connection amongst all these things? Is it possible there's one condition/issue that is a primary driving force behind all of these that, if addressed, could make an amazing difference in a young girl's life......for her entire life? The answer is (of course, or I wouldn't be asking such obvious leading questions, right? LOL :-) ) YES!!!! So what's the driving force behind all these health-issues, and what can be done about it? SLEEP APNEA!!! Let's list all those conditions out again and start connecting the dots: Lower back pain (no history of any accidents or trauma -- this one is a bit of a stretch, but since there are no other contributing factors, and she's been checked for scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and cleared, the fact that she's been suffering from back pain is most likely due to the muscle spasm involved in the other issues, and perhaps she needs a new mattress for better lower back support. Long history of headaches (decreasing somewhat recently, but still significant for a girl only 13 years old) - quite a bit of research now indicates that both chronic tension and migraine headaches are connected to sleep disorders, and it makes sense - if you can't breathe well at night and your brain gets less oxygen than it really needs, your brain/nervous system will get hypersensitized; any little trigger will make it go haywire, make muscles spasm like crazy, and result in headaches. Jaw pain/TMJ pain - Same as with the headaches; when the nervous system goes haywire, the muscles spasm like crazy, and your jaws will hurt; the joints get way too much pressure and pain can result, also the tissue in the [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:45:18-04:00 May 5th, 2009|Bruxism & Parafunction, Cavities, Sleep Apnea & Snoring, Snoring, TMJ Problems, Migraines and Headache Relief|0 Comments

Heartburn and cavities (tooth decay), tooth erosion, and tooth wear, asthma, ADD/ADHD

Quite frequently I get very puzzled looks from patients when I ask them if they have heartburn or have ever been diagnosed with acid reflux. First, they're thinking, "Why in the world is my dentist asking if I have heartburn?" and secondly they're thinking, "What in the world would heartburn have to do with my teeth?" Thirdly, they get even more puzzled if I ask if they suffer from asthma or anything like ADD/ADHD. So what's the connection among all these conditions, and why am I, your dentist, asking these questions? First, when it comes to the question about ADD/ADHD, please refer back to my recent post that followed up on NPR's reporting on Sleep Apnea and Behavioral Issues. There's some great information in there for parents. Secondly, when it comes to heartburn and teeth, think about this: Just what is heartburn? It's also known as Acid Reflux, and when it gets severe, it's known as Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease, or GERD. It's acid from your stomach, and what does acid from your stomach do? The same thing that acid from any other source such as sodas, sucking on lemons or oranges, etc. - the acid literally eats away at the enamel of your teeth. So yes.....if you have heartburn frequently, you are most likely also going to have many more cavities, see greatly increased/worsened wear on your teeth, probably will see increased gum inflammation. So why do I also have ADD/ADHD and asthma in my post title? Simple because heartburn/acid reflux/GERD may play a real role in both of these conditions as well, because they are also linked to sleep apnea. While I could go into a lot of detail on the topic, there are [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:45:58-04:00 March 9th, 2009|Sleep Apnea & Snoring|0 Comments

A great news story by NPR on Sleep Apnea in children

NPR aired a story this morning (March 5th, 2009) that has to do with snoring, sleep apnea, and the wide-ranging effects that they can have on behaviour, brain function, etc. This is something I"ve been studying and talking to patients about for several years now, but it's gaining wider acceptance in the medical fields. On the most basic level, sleep disorders cause a decrease in oxygen levels to the brain, which results in various decreases in function and can have significant effects on your overall health. Please take some time to listen to the reports and read the articles - wonderful information! NPR's reports on Sleep Apnea & Snoring

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:46:00-04:00 March 5th, 2009|Bruxism & Parafunction, Sleep Apnea & Snoring, Snoring, TMJ Problems, Migraines and Headache Relief|0 Comments

Sleep Apnea, Snoring, and Dentistry

There is a rapidly growing area of dentistry concerned with treating sleep apnea and snoring. There's an important reason for this, too....people who snore and/or experience sleep apnea on a regular basis are at SIGNIFICANTLY higher risk of certain health issues. I am going to relate a very personal story that I hope will help drive the point home, as well as give you a link to a website that will provide you with FAR more detail than I can provide in this blog. THE STORY: My dad turned 63 in March '08. Up until that time, he had always been a very healthy individual with no particular health problems. He regularly traveled the world for his job and had been doing so for many years; he and my mom enjoyed an active life, involved with their church and the arts. The only problem that had plagued him for a couple years was a nagging cough that simply would not resolve, no matter what he took. Not just a nagging little cough, but a deep, powerful, and often painful cough that would sap his energy, leaving him drained. (To interject a bit of dental history: I'd been telling my dad for a number of years that he clearly has a history of grinding his teeth, and coupled with the fact that he had always been an EXTREMELY LOUD SNORER (to the point my mom often kicked him out of bed or slept in another room herself), I'd also recommended he get a sleep study done. With his travel and work schedule, though, it had just never quite worked out.) Well, in early 2008 he'd finally had enough of the cough and went to see a [...]

By Charles Payet| 2010-10-27T09:23:52-04:00 January 18th, 2009|Bruxism & Parafunction, Sleep Apnea & Snoring, Snoring|0 Comments