Healthy gums could decrease risk for diabetes

Taking care of your gums could decrease risk for diabetes
Regular dental visits aren’t just good for your mouth—they could be helping you decrease your risk for diabetes.

A new study in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry has linked periodontal infections with an increased risk for diabetes.
The study, led by Sheila Strauss, Ph.D., co-director of the Statistics and Management Core at New York University’s Colleges of Dentistry and Nursing, examined the data of 2,923 non-diabetic adults who participated in the 2003-04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

By using guidelines from the American Diabetes Association, the researchers determined that 93 percent of the subjects with periodontal disease were considered high risk for diabetes and should be screened for the disease, compared to the 63 percent without periodontal disease.

The study also examined how many times the patients with periodontal disease and a risk for diabetes visited a dentist and found that 60 percent reported a visit in the past two years, 50 percent in the past year and 33 percent in the past six months.
The American Diabetes Association reports that 5.7 million Americans with diabetes went undiagnosed in 2007. By adding dentists to the list of health care providers involved in early screenings, more people can receive crucial early treatment.
"In light of these findings," Dr. Strauss said, "the dental visit could be a useful opportunity to conduct an initial diabetes screening—an important first step in identifying those patients who need follow-up testing to diagnose the disease."

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5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.


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Dentists help patients breathe easier, sleep better

Dentists help patients breathe easier, sleep better
Dentists are playing an active role in helping patients address potentially serious breathing problems that occur during sleep.
The American Dental Association defines obstructive sleep apnea as a disorder in which breathing stops for short periods of time during sleep. In a literature review article published in the May 2009 issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association, researchers say that a periodic lack of oxygen in the blood can have damaging affects throughout the body. The Potentially Harmful Medical Consequences of Untreated Sleep-Disordered Breathing: The Evidence Supporting Brain Damage, is co-authored by Dr. Glenn Clark, director of the Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine Program at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry, and Dr. Michael Simmons, USC clinical associate professor. "Periodic hypoxia [low oxygen levels] can bring about serious cardiovascular and central nervous system complications," said Dr. Clark.

Episodic hypoxia has been linked to cellular damage in the brain — which may not be reversible — and cognitive changes in laboratory animals and humans. Dr. Clark added that studies have further suggested that sleep-disordered breathing like sleep apnea may have negative affects on learning and memory functions.

What's more, the cardiovascular implications of sleep apnea are worrisome. Dr. Clark said that during periods of hypoxia, hemoglobin, the molecule that normally binds to oxygen in the blood, instead takes oxygen from the cell walls along the interior of blood vessels. This changes the properties of the vessels in such a way that allows plaque to bind more easily, which could potentially lead to atherosclerosis and other serious cardiovascular problems.

"A 40-year-old patient with sleep apnea can have the arteries of a 60-year-old," Dr. Clark said. Dr. Reyes Enciso, assistant professor of clinical dentistry at USC, said the risk of sleep apnea increases greatly according to age and body mass index and is much more common in men.

As many as 1 out of every six people over 50 has at least mild sleep apnea," Dr. Enciso said. "And it's estimated that almost 75 percent of severe apnea cases are undiagnosed."
The majority of sleep apnea cases involve obstruction of the airway, whether the tongue or soft palate blocks the airway or the surrounding muscles relax and allow the airway to momentarily collapse.
The USC researchers encourage patients to talk about their sleep habits with a dentist or doctor, including instances of daytime sleepiness and snoring. Loud snoring with telltale pauses is an indicator of sleep apnea because it is audible evidence of the tongue or soft palate obstructing the airway, said Dr. Enciso.
Patients at risk are often referred for a polysomnogram, or "sleep study," during which the patient's vital signs and behaviors are closely monitored as they sleep. Treatment for sleep apnea after diagnosis can involve using a continuous positive airway pressure device with a mask that keeps air flowing into the nose during sleep. Dr. Clark said that patients with mild cases of sleep apnea may also find effective relief by using a dental appliance that draws the lower jaw forward and keeps the tongue from blocking the airway.

Drs. Clark and Enciso hope to eventually use cone-beam computerized tomography scans in conjunction with clinical research data in order to better identify patients who may be at risk for sleep apnea in future.
"The airway changes with weight gain and age," said Dr. Clark, explaining how progressively drooping soft tissues can block the airway and how weakened muscles plus the presence of nearby fat deposits can cause the airway to collapse more easily.
Dr. Enciso said the goal is to eventually be able to take a CT scan of a patient and artificially add weight or age to the scan to see how the airway's anatomy could change. Such data could help predict whether a patient might be at risk for sleep apnea in the future and would encourage them to start preventive measures. "We want to be able to find individuals at risk for sleep apnea as early as possible," she said.

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Parkhaven Dental Care
5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.

Request an appointment today!


Parkhaven Dental Care
5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.


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Grinding Teeth - Can Impact Dental Health

Stress And Bruxism - Grinding Teeth - Can Impact Dental Health
Is stress at work and in daily life taking a toll on your teeth at night?
German researchers examined studied a small group of patients to see if sleep bruxism—grinding teeth at night—was related to stress.
A total of 69 people, including 48 who were bruxers, were evaluated with a questionnaire to see if they reported daily problems, trouble at work, fatigue or physical problems.
Each participant was between 20 and 40 years old and had a sleeping partner that reported grinding sounds during the night over the past six months. Participants also reported one or more bruxism symptoms before the study, including muscle fatigue or pain on awakening, abnormal tooth wear or shiny spots on restorations and enlarged jaw muscles.
Researchers also measured participants’ bruxism overnight for five consecutive nights, using special thin plates worn overnight in their mouths that record grinding patterns.
Researchers concluded that participants with high sleep bruxing activity tend to feel more stressed at work and in their daily life, and, according to the questionnaire, seem to deal with stress in a negative way. Bruxism is a dangerous dental problem that can not only wear down teeth, but also make them sensitive or loose or even fracture them. Besides worn tooth surfaces, symptoms can include headaches and a sore jaw.
Your dentist can diagnose sleep bruxism and fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep. Patients can also benefit from reducing stress, physical therapy, muscle relaxants, counseling and exercise.
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Parkhaven Dental Care
5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.


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Arthritis Pain and Treating Active Gum Disease

Arthritis Pain and Treating Active Gum Disease
Arthritis patients might alleviate some of their pain, morning stiffness and swollen joints by treating active gum disease, according to researchers at Case School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland.

Researchers studied 40 patients with moderate to severe periodontal disease and a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis. Study participants were divided into four groups. One group received medications that blocked production of a specific toxin found at inflamed rheumatoid arthritis sites; the second group received medications plus nonsurgical periodontal treatment to clean and remove infection from bones and tissues in the gums; the third group had nonsurgical treatment only and the last group did not receive any treatment until after the study.

Patients who received nonsurgical treatment, either with or without medications, responded with improvements in their arthritis symptoms.

Oral care may also be more difficult for people with special health concerns, including arthritis. People with dexterity problems may find it difficult to hold onto a toothbrush or dental floss.

The ADA recommends a few "home remedies" for easier oral health care, including using a wide elastic band to attach a toothbrush to the hand; enlarging the brush handle by attaching a sponge, rubber ball or bicycle handle grip or winding an elastic bandage or adhesive tape around the handle; lengthening the handle with a ruler, popsicle stick or tongue depressor; tying floss in a loop for easier handling; and using an electric toothbrush or commercial floss holder.

Request an appointment today!


Parkhaven Dental Care
5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.


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