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Sleep apnoea and dentistry- What’s the link?

Posted By: | Published On: | Blog Article

As dentists, we always tend to focus primarily on teeth and we are very good at doing so. Often though, we are presented with patients who have issues like;

Sleep apnoea and dentistry
  • Jaw pain
  • Grinding their teeth at night (bruxism)
  • Inflamed gums
  • Acid erosion around teeth from reflux
  • Restorations that are breaking down
  • Mouth breathing
  • They suffer from daytime sleepiness
  • Snoring

So, I found myself in Sydney on my weekend, furthering my knowledge in the area of sleep apnoea with 17 other dentists from around Australia. There we had 2 days of intensive lectures, where we learnt about the dangerous effects of sleep apnoea, bruxism, orthodontics, nutritional deficiencies, snoring, mouth breathing and how surprisingly, they are all inter related.   Sadly, patients who have any of the issues above, may also be suffering from sleep apnoea and may not even be aware of it!

Team
The picture below shows some of the profound health effects that sleep apnoea can have the whole body. 

Body Pcture
As Smile In Style is a holistic dental practice in Moonee Ponds and Sunbury; listening to our patient’s health problems is important to us.  Not only does it give us an indication about what is going on in your mouth, but it also alerts us to more dangerous health issues that may need further investigations, like a sleep study.

Symptoms that may alert Dr Meenakshi to send you for a sleep study include:

  • Snoring
  • Day time sleepiness
  • Waking at night to go to the toilet
  • Grinding your teeth
  • Reflux

Once you have had a sleep study, and if you have a diagnosis of sleep apnoea, the sleep physician may recommend you commence treatment with:

  • CPAP (continuous positive airways pressure) using a CPAP machine and mask which keeps your airways open.
  • A temporomandibular splint made by Somnomed, which we can organise for you at Smile In Style.

At Smile In Style we are now set up to assess your sleep and your health.

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Smile In Style Dental office near Moonee Ponds and Sunbury

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Throughout our site, you will find valuable information about our services that will help you get to know us better. It is our mission to create beautiful white healthy smiles using the latest technologies. Our experienced Dentists and staff aim for lifelong relationships with our patients, providing relevant dental education and continual care throughout life. Here, you can learn more about the various dental conditions that may develop and the ways in which we treat them.
Some of the services you can expect to find at Smile in Style include: Our goal is to work together with you to achieve your healthiest, most attractive smile, whilst ensuring your comfort and satisfaction.

Safe Amalgam Removal Protocol

  • Chlorella drink prior is given prior to treatment and a mouth rinse post-treatment. Chlorella can help bind and prevent mercury absorption.
  • Physical protective barriers - Masks, protective coverings, eyewear, in-mouth non-latex dental dams, and other steps are taken to prevent physical contact with mercury for the patient and staff.
  • Oral evacuation - Generous amounts of water are used to continuously rinse particulate matter from the mouth while suctioning it away. Combined with protective dental dams, this prevents patients from swallowing dental amalgam particles during treatment. Additionally, the rinsing helps lower the temperature of the filling, reducing the amount of mercury vapour released.
  • External air - A continuous supply of non-contaminated air or oxygen is delivered via a mask or similar apparatus, preventing inhalation of mercury vapour or particles.
  • "Chunk it out" method - Rather than using a drill to grind the filling down, it is carefully removed in the largest possible pieces, minimising friction, vaporisation.
  • High Volume Evacuation Suction is used by the dental assistant to remove amalgam particles in the mouth.
  • High Volume Air suction and Air Purifiers are used in the clinical room that is able to remove mercury vapour from the room.
  • Amalgam separator use - This device collects mercury-contaminated waste before it can enter the sewage system, allowing us to dispose of it safely.