For Your Health: Sleeping in Sync with Your Partner

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Sleep Disorders and Sleep Problems

“A 2005 survey by the non-profit advocacy group National Sleep Foundation found that more than a quarter of co-habitating American adults lose sleep from their partner’s sleep issues, and nearly one in four adults spend the night in separate beds or bedrooms because of those problems.”

       -Huffington Post

Sleep problems affect your sleep partner too!There are many sleep issues that can affect not just the person with the problem, but also the person sleeping (or trying to sleep) next to them.  From the noise of snoring, grinding and sleep talking to nighttime ninja fights with those who thrash in their sleep, sleeping partners can suffer from a lack of sleep.

Percentage of Americans suffering from sleep problems:

  • Thrashing 0.5%
  • Sleep Walking   3.6%
  • Sleep Talking    5%
  • Grinding Teeth/Bruxism   8%
  • Chronic Insomnia 10-15%
  • Snoring   59%

Of all of these problems, snoring is by far the most common and widespread, keeping partners from getting a good night of restful sleep.  The lack of sleep can affect their daily life, their ability to concentrate, their attitude and mood, even their health.  According to the Huffington Post article Sleep Problems, “The health benefits of sleep go far beyond feeling rested the next day. Insufficient sleep has been linked with numerous chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression. So much so that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now considers getting sufficient ZZZs — from seven to nine hours per night — an important matter of public health.”

What exactly can you do if your partner’s sleep problems or sleep disorder is becoming your own sleep problem?

Couples have many ways of dealing with these sleep problems.  As mentioned above, almost 25% of American couples have gone so far as to sleep in separate rooms or beds.  If the problems are affecting the couple’s health and relationship, there are ways that professionals can help, depending on the issue.  Sleep studies, medications, behavioral therapy, nighttime orthotics and snoring appliances may help bring some nighttime rest depending on the specific problem.  Sometimes the solution can be as small as rearranging the sleep environment to help promote more restful sleep.

The solutions vary greatly depending on the problems, and whether they are due to a full-blown sleep disorder or just a few minor, manageable symptoms.  However, no matter how minor it may seem, if your sleep is being affected by your partner’s sleeping problems, there will be a toll on your physical and emotional health — as well your relationship.

If you have any questions about how sleep problems and disorders can affect your health we’ll be happy to send pertinent information to you.  If you would like to make an appointment for a sleep apnea screening, please call 908-359-6655.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

2005 Sleep Survey by the Sleep Foundation: 

Sleep Problems: How Your And Your Partner Can Sleep In Sync

WebMD: What to Do When Your Sleep Partner Has a Sleep Disorder

Learn more about the hidden health risks of sleep disorders in our series of articles and posts about Sleep Apnea

 

For Your Health-Smoking Kills Good Bacteria in the Mouth

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Smoking Kills Good Bacteria in the MouthSmoking and Oral Health: Disrupting the Body’s Balance

We all know that smoking affects oral health, increasing the risk of oral cancer and gum disease as well as staining teeth.  What you may not know is that smoking disrupts the natural balance of microbial ecosystems in the body by killing good bacteria in the mouth and weakening the immune system.

As reported by ScienceDaily, “According to a new study, smoking causes the body to turn against its own helpful bacteria, leaving smokers more vulnerable to disease”.

There is a certain amount of healthy bacteria that lives throughout the body, including the mouth.  The study, published in the Journal of Infection and Immunity and cited by ScienceDaily shows that the “the mouth of a smoker is a much more chaotic, diverse ecosystem – and is much more susceptible to invasion by harmful bacteria” than the mouth of a non-smoker.

Bacterial Biofilms

The healthy or good bacteria forms protective biofilms and helps to fight off the bad bacteria.  For those who smoke, it is harder for these bacterial ecosystems to regrow after cleanings.  Without these protective biofilms, harmful bacteria can proliferate much faster in the mouth of a smoker than a non-smoker.

“By contrast [with non-smokers],” said Kumar, “smokers start getting colonized by pathogens — bacteria that we know are harmful — within 24 hours. It takes longer for smokers to form a stable microbial community, and when they do, it’s a pathogen-rich community.”  In addition, the natural immune system of a smoker fights off the good bacteria, treating it as harmful instead of helpful, making it more difficult to maintain a balance.  Often, this immune response, which is at much higher levels than non-smokers, can lead to periodontal or gum disease and even bone loss.

This study adds to the list of the dangers and health risks of smoking and helps to illustrate one of the possible reasons that gum disease is higher in smokers than non-smokers.  If you would like more information on how we can help you with your oral health please call our office at 908-359-6655.

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Read the ScienceDaily’s full article

Hidden Health Risks: Sleep Apnea and Depression

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A recent New York Times article highlights a connection between Sleep Apnea and Depression.  The article cites a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which found that adult men diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea are twice as likely to suffer from depression, and women are five times as likely as adults who do not exhibit this sleep disorder.

The study also showed that even those who did not have severe enough symptoms to be diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, but whose sleeping partners reported they snore, snort or stop breathing during sleep were still at a higher risk for depression.  Whether diagnosed or not, the higher the frequency of sleep disturbances, the greater the risk for depression.

Sleep Apnea is linked with depression (photo: cc Flicker)The study only highlights an association, not precise causes-and-effects, but there are several possible contributing factors. Those with Obstructive Sleep Apnea stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night, often for ten to twenty seconds or more.  These pauses in breathing cut off oxygen to the brain, not allowing all brain cells to function at full capacity and causing the person’s mental and physical health to suffer.  Also, OSA patients’ experience fragmented sleep, waking up often to begin breathing again, which can contribute to an imbalance in mental and emotional well-being.  OSA patients have disturbed sleep cycles preventing them from having adequate REM sleep.  If you have ever been sleep deprived, you will understand how never getting adequate sleep can wreak havoc with your health and well-being – just imagine being sleep deprived for months or years!

According to the Sleep Foundation:

The relationship between sleep and depressive illness is complex – depression may cause sleep problems and sleep problems may cause or contribute to depressive disorders. For some people, symptoms of depression occur before the onset of sleep problems. For others, sleep problems appear first. Sleep problems and depression may also share risk factors and biological features and the two conditions may respond to some of the same treatment strategies.

The good news is that treatment of Sleep Apnea has relieved and reversed major depression in European studies.  However, almost 50% of people who suffer from OSA go undiagnosed and untreated, increasing the related health risks and hidden dangers of Sleep Apnea.

At Designs for Dental Health, Dr. Nadler screens all patients for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and also makes custom sleep appliances to treat OSA by allowing patients to breathe more normally while sleeping.  If you have any questions about OSA or how dental sleep appliances can help in relieving symptoms and treating OSA, don’t hesitate to call our office at 908-359-6655.

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Read the New York Times article

Learn more about the connection between sleep and depression on The Sleep Foundation’s website

Entertaining and Educational. A Puppet’s Explanation of TMD

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TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction) occurs when the jaw is displaced or misaligned. If you regularly experience pain during basic facial movements like chewing, speaking and even smiling, you could have TMD. This is often referred to as TMJ.

A misalignment in the jaw joint affects the muscles, tendons and nerves of your back, neck and shoulders as well as your face, causing painful symptoms that can be felt throughout your entire body.

Dr. Nadler uses the TENS and K-7 units to determine what is occurring with your jaw’s alignment and muscles connected to the jaw. Once diagnosed, a proper orthotic appliance will be created for you to reposition the jaw to a comfortable position and to relax muscles which are in spasm.

The K-7 evaluation system assesses problems in the function and alignment of the jaw joint and bite.

The TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation) unit delivers tiny electrical impulses to the muscles responsible for jaw movement and relaxes them. In less than an hour the relaxed jaw finds its ideal positioning.

The next step is a full diagnosis of the problem with the K-7 evaluation system, which records proper alignment of the jaw. The K-7 can also assist in diagnosing if the patient’s jaw joint is damaged.

If the information gathered shows that the patient has improper jaw alignment, Dr. Nadler will recommend a course of therapy for correction.

If you suffer from any of the above symptoms and would like to schedule an appointment and exam, please call us at (908) 359-6655 or click here to request an appointment online.

Hidden Health Risks: Sleep Apnea and Cancer

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Two recent studies have found an association, but not a causal relationship, between sleep apnea and cancer.  This study adds yet another health risk linked to sleep apnea, along with heart disease, diabetes, depression and gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

According to an article printed in the New York Times:

“In one of the new studies, researchers in Spain followed thousands of patients at sleep clinics and found that those with the most severe forms of sleep apnea had a 65 percent greater risk of developing cancer of any kind. The second study, of about 1,500 government workers in Wisconsin, showed that those with the most breathing abnormalities at night had five times the rate of dying from cancer as people without the sleep disorder. Both research teams only looked at cancer diagnoses and outcomes in general, without focusing on any specific type of cancer.”

 

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder which affects an estimated 12-28 million Americans but often goes undiagnosed and untreated, increasing the risk of related health issues.  Those suffering from sleep apnea stop breathing during sleep for intervals of ten seconds or more, resulting in disturbances of the sleep cycle as well as oxygen deprivation to the brain.

It is this decrease in oxygen level that is thought to be a main factor in the link between sleep apnea and cancer.  The Spanish study, noted above, measured the relationship between oxygen deprivation and cancer, and found that the greater the oxygen deprivation during the night, the greater the instances of cancer during the period of the study.  Science News reports that those with the greatest levels of oxygen deprivation were “nearly nine times as likely to have died of cancer during the ensuing study years than were those with normal-oxygen blood.”

The fact that this widespread disorder goes undiagnosed and untreated so often is alarming.  Serious health risks that could be prevented and addressed if sleep apnea were diagnosed and treated are the result.  These latest studies linking sleep apnea and increased cancer risk adds to the urgency of education and awareness about sleep apnea.  As quoted in the New York Times, Dr. F. Javier Nieto, one of the authors of the U.S.-based study says, “I would say that this is one more instance that shows that sleep apnea can have profound impacts for people’s health,” he added. “Not breathing while you’re sleeping is a serious problem.”

LINKS AND RESOURCES

New York Times Article

Science News Article

 

Want to Feel Great and Lose Some Weight?

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Experiencing the “Clean” Nutritional Cleanse

As many of you know, I generally try to eat well and stay fit.  This habit is owed at least in part to my father, who was very careful to avoid red meat beginning in the 60’s (yes, the 1960’s) in an attempt to minimize his arthritic knee pain.  I inherited both his arthritic knees and his obsession with eating well and staying in shape.

So, since early this spring, my knees had been killing me.  And, the weight I had gained over the holidays did not come off so easily this year.  I just didn’t feel 100%.  It so happens that a dentist who is on an internet forum, which I read daily, mentioned a nutritional program that he tried and for which he had high praise.  So, I checked it out and followed the three week nutritional cleanse described in the book.

In short, the results for me were near amazing.  The first week was tough as almost everything that I normally ingested was forbidden.  I was tired, weak and hungry!

But, by the end of the third week, I had tremendous energy, felt wonderful and lost twelve pounds and a couple of inches off my gut!

The basic idea is to clean out all the bad stuff which had accumulated as a result of the foods and junk that I have been eating.  Then, after the initial three weeks, one-by-one reintroduce foods and so determine which ones make me feel “bad” and need to be permanently eliminated.

The name of the book which describes this program is Clean by Alejandro Junger, MD.

It is certainly worth a look as the number of people who have had success with this program is quite impressive as has my personal experience.  In the process of sticking to this regimen, you are forced to take a hard look at what you have been putting in your body and why.  For me, the big revelations were that we ingest simply because of habit and overdo because we think that if a little is good, more will be better…

My recommendation?  If you want to feel really good and could lose a few pounds, give this program a try.  Feel free to call me if I can be of any help.  You can reach me at the office at 908.359.6655 or via the new website at www.DesignsForDentalHealth.com.

 

 

 

 

Oral Health = A Healthy You!

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Dental Cleanings Help Ensure Your Overall Health

Regular dental cleanings and examinations help ensure your overall health

We’ve posted about this before, but cannot over-stress the importance of the connection between your dental health and your general health.  No part of the body functions in isolation – everything is connected.  So it should come as no surprise that the health of your mouth affects the health of the rest of your body.  And, maintaining your oral health helps to preserve your overall health and well-being.

Beginning with the basics, proper brushing and flossing, in conjunction with regular dental cleanings and checkups, help to control the level of harmful bacteria in your mouth. Certain bacteria, if left unchecked, can cause cavities and periodontal disease and contribute to more serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke and clogged arteries.  The mouth is a gateway to the body, and bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body triggering inflammation or infection. Dental examinations help to reveal some of these underlying health issues as dentists are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms which are displayed in the head, neck, mouth and throat.  Proper examinations are true oral medicine, and the best dentists are excellent diagnosticians – they love to figure out what’s going on and why.

Not only can your oral health affect the health of the rest of your body, but there are medical conditions that can affect your oral health.  For example, those with diabetes have a higher risk of developing infections.  Gum disease is a bacterial infection which can more easily get out of control in a diabetic patient, especially one whose blood sugar is not controlled.  Also, unbalanced hormone levels during pregnancy commonly result in gingivitis which, in turn, increases the risks of low-birth weight and premature births.

The oral-body connection is a two-way street. Oral health affects your overall health and wellness including the immune system, which helps to protect the health of your mouth, teeth, and gums.  Proper brushing and flossing along with professional cleanings and checkups preserves your healthy smile and is an integral part of your optimum health equation. Eating good foods, maintaining your weight, exercising regularly, and living a happy life are fundamental factors of the equation as well.  Prevention is key – all maladies are more easily healed when discovered early.  Living a healthy lifestyle becomes more popular every year among aging baby-boomers as well as vibrant 20-somethings.  All it takes is a little knowledge, a little discipline, and a little desire!

Click to read more about the link between oral and overall health and the benefits exercise can have on your oral health.

Dental Benefits Encourage Overall Health

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Employee benefit plans usually focus on health insurance, but a recent article from Benefits Pro highlights the health benefits of dental plans.  Those with dental insurance are twice as likely to maintain a schedule of regular cleanings and dental examinations, which can actually cut the cost of medical coverage in the long term, because of the relationship between proper dental hygiene and overall health.  According to the article:

“Diabetes, heart disease, blindness and pregnancy complications can all be affected by dental hygiene and impact overall health costs. In fact, the National Institute of Health estimated in 2007 that $174 billion in direct and indirect expenses were created by diabetics, and those suffering from diabetes are 2.3 times more likely to have higher medical costs than people without diabetes. The diabetic population is growing, Sherman says, but with good oral hygiene, it is easier to control one’s insulin levels.”

Besides the ability to cut costs on medical coverage through better overall health, dental plans also assure that an employee is less likely to have a dental emergency and be in pain or leave work, as they may if they have not had the proper preventive care.

To learn more about how dental benefits encourage better overall health, READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY BENEFITSPRO

April! April! Are You Alright???

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CPR Refresher Course at Designs for Dental Health

CPR Refresher Course at Designs for Dental HealthCPR Refresher Course

Last week the Designs for Dental Health Team participated in a CPR refresher course, keeping us up to date on our training and certification in CPR.  We would like to thank our trainer Josh from the Somerset Medical Center for his experience on what to do in the event of an emergency.

As health care professionals, it is important for us to remain up to date and in practice (hopefully only on dummies!), but we  recommend that everyone would benefit from learning basic CPR to know what to do in case of an emergency.