Are you a rumbler, wheezer or snorer when you sleep?08/12/11

As seen on Channel 9’s “Today Show” on Thu 08 Dec 2011 with Karl and Dr Rick Gordon. Snoring really can affect you and those around you! See “The Today Show” video! Snoring can be treated here at MLC Centre Dental Surgery. Dr Adam Alford has been practicing dentistry and treating sleep disorders for over 10 years now and takes pride in offering solutions for a better night’s sleep for you. Wheezing, rumbling or rasping could all be signs of sleep apnea or snoring which is a treatable condition. We don’t only treat the symptoms, rather the cause of snoring, which may be diagnosed as obstructive sleep apnea. We use a team approach involving Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon’s or a sleep disorder service where a sleep study will allow for correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment options for you. Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea A recent study by Pancer et al asked a clinical trial group some simple questions; 1. Does your husband/wife snore loudly? 2. Does your husband/wife snore in any position? 3. How often were you kept awake by snoring? 4. How often were you forced to sleep in another room? Can you relate to any of these questions? Snoring is a common problem, affecting persons of all ages, but particularly middle-aged and elderly men and women who are overweight. The medical profession has identified snoring as a risk indicator of an upper airway abnormality associated with significant sleep disturbance and sleepiness. Although not all snorers have sleep apnea, snoring is a cardinal symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA syndrome is a common, chronic disorder of sleep and breathing related to upper airway obstruction that develops during sleep. Obstruction of the airway results in many repeated involuntary breathing pauses during the sleep cycle. Snoring and OSA, disorders that result from upper-airway obstruction, have been associated with: • hypertension (high blood pressure) • ischaemic heart disease (reduced blood supply to the heart muscle) • cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat rhythm) • stroke Other more apparent symptoms include: • Fatigue • Irritability • Depression • personality changes • difficulty concentrating • morning headaches • choking or gasping during sleep • sore, dry throat on waking • decreased sex drive or impotence • memory and judgment problems • Falling asleep at work or while driving, which may cause life threatening accidents. You may be wondering, “What is my dentist doing talking about snoring and this thing called OSA?” Well the answer is simple. The Standards of Practice Committee of the American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA) appointed a task force to review the current role of oral appliances (snoring mouthguards) in the treatment of snoring and OSA. From this task force their recommendations are; a. Oral appliances (snoring mouthguard) are indicated for the use of patients with primary snoring or mild OSA. b. Patients with moderate to severe OSA should have an initial trial of nasal CPAP. c. Oral appliances are indicated for patients with moderate to severe OSA who are intolerant of or refuse treatment with nasal CPAP or surgery. We as dental practitioners don’t expect you to understand these guidelines, but, by discussing the situation with us, we can guide you. Treatments for Snoring and OSA a. Behavioural Therapy; This is extremely important to the overall plan. It is important to identify and manage health or lifestyle conditions such as obesity, alcohol or benzodiazepine consumption, body position/sleep posture, and nasal congestion. Weight reduction is an important adjunct to treatment. b. Pharmacological Therapy; I only include this for completeness. Articles reveal conflicting opinions. Most authors believe there is no real effectiveness to pharmacological therapy without undue side effects. c. Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (nCPAP); the most effective treatment for moderate to severe OSA. It employs a tight fitting mask that is attached to a blower that will blow room air under pressure through the nasal passage. d. Surgical Treatment; Designed to correct anatomical abnormalities that lead to airway obstruction. There are a number of techniques available, depending on the site of obstruction. e. Snoring mouthguard therapy; (Oral Appliance Therapy) Based on the clinical research and clinical experience of the practitioners using oral appliances. It is clear that these devices have a positive effect on upper airway patency. Snoring mouthguard therapy is useful for patients who suffer from snoring and or with mild sleep apnea. Snoring mouthguards are also useful for patients who do not wish to have surgery or have poor compliance with the nCPAP treatment. Patients have been shown to have a higher compliance and fewer side effects from treatment with an oral appliance than with nCPAP. Snoring mouthguard therapy has been shown to be 50-80% effective in reducing OSA. What are the side effects of the oral appliance? • mucosal dryness or hyper salivation • transient tooth or jaw pain • masticatory muscle stiffness The above are quite common and occurred in 36% to 86% of patients. However, according to the patients’ own judgment’s, the subjective benefits experienced from Snoring Mouthguard therapy outweighed these minor inconveniences by far and did not lead to discontinuation of treatment. A team approach facilitating the skills and knowledge of an Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon and a Dental Professional is important in treating Snoring and OSA. Please approach your Dental Practitioner about these issues if any of the above symptoms sound like you or you are interested for someone else. OSA is a very important health issue. How much does a snoring mouthguard cost? The cost for a snoring mouthguard appliance for snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea is $980, your health fund may contribute towards the cost of this mouthguard. We recommend MDSA appliances. These have shown to be the most effective at reducing jaw pain and muscular stiffness. Call us on 02 92323866 for an appointment with Dr Adam Alford to get a professional opinion and get on the right track for a good night’s sleep. Dr Adam Alford BDS Sydney (hons) is a professional dentist and the author of this article. He is located in Sydney City’s Martin Place. Dr Alford has been treating patients with sleep disorders for over 10 years; he has a special interest in preventative dental and treating the cause of the symptoms. Email him for further information or an appointment adam@mlccentredental.com.au

Medicare dental benefits for chronic disease sufferers still available27/05/11

My patients and referring doctors have been speculating as to when the chronic disease management plan for dental will end. I wanted to assure patients dental benefits from medicare are still available for eligible patients. I have advised doctors to continue referrals based on the current criteria and patients continue to attend appointments. Threats by the Australian government to end the chronic disease scheme have been frequent for the past 3 years. I believe the road to scrap the medicare dental scheme will be long. My attitude in life is to treat all as equals. I treat patients from all walks of life and I value the opportunity to give people quality health and dental care in a professional and caring environment. I wanted to reassure my patients that they will be informed by me as to if and when changes to dental benefits that affect them will occur. At this stage all is to continue as normal. Cheers Dr Adam Alford
Medicare Dental Scheme Ending

Spa Better Breath26/05/11

Spa Better Breath! Now! According to a recent adultmatchmaker survey, most women today believe that the art of male grooming has never been a more manlier pastime. With just a little bit more care and attention to man-scaping and personal hygiene this can help guarantee you to be an even bigger hit romantically! by Scott Winter M2 Man-scaping Editor Be honest, do you think about what shape your mouth is in as often as you do your body? Surveys conducted by Dr Adam Alford of the MLC Centre Dental Surgery in Sydney, (www.mlccentredental.com.au), indicate that not enough Australian men make regular visits to their dentist, or know how to floss and brush properly, even though most are admitting to brushing twice a day. Further surveys conducted by the MLC Centre Dental Surgery show that 8 out of 10 single women and 2 out of 10 single men admit that their current and recent dating partners have had bad breath. “Bad breath or halitosis, can be an indication of poor dental hygiene, active dental disease, such as tooth decay, infected teeth, gum disease or gastrointestinal problems and poor diet. Smoking, alcohol, caffeine, excessive exercise and some medications regularly prescribed by doctors can dehydrate the mouth making it smell,” stated Dr Adam Alford. A high intake of fatty or sugary foods causes p.h. levels in the saliva to fall, creating an acidic environment that tartar and plaque thrive in increasing the chances of gum disease resulting in a very anti-social problem indeed. Don't blame it on the garlic bread! Time to see a professional as brushing and mouthwash won’t fix the problem. “Unfortunately the build up of tartar and plaque, which accumulates under the gums causing the problem of bad breath, can only be removed by a dental professional. Most mouthwashes regularly bought on the market are alcohol based therefore drying the mouth out and eventually making the problem worse,” stated Dr Adam Alford According to the Bureau of Statistics the current sex ratio for the total population of Australia is around 98.9 males per 100 females therefore almost even. A 'Think Fertility' web report reveals marriage rates have dropped for those under 30 over the last ten years. So what's happening guys? Are more men admitting that they are gay or ‘gay bloke friendly’? More women, lesbians?...Hmm… unlikely! Are men and women simply enjoying more freedom of choice over their lives and careers these days, having less time for monogamy and developing less conventional attitudes towards marriage? Or could it be when it comes to that all important 'first kiss', some guy's and some girl's for that matter, breath smells like they ate a bad burger with BB King back in 1963! peeeyew! Dr Adam Alford of the MLC Centre Dental Surgery in Sydney might agree. If there is any truth at all in the latter, it might be time to face the fact that you need to polish up your oral acts fellas! So after your next casual visit to the gym, barbers or a men's beauty salon, (yes we do exist!) you might want to make the next stop to a Tooth Spa! (Yes they also exist!). High quality dental practises will soften our general perception of the rough bloody ride we can sometimes go through while tilted back in the big chair. High quality dental practices encourage more patients to pay as much attention to their teeth as they do their bodies, skin and hair. “High quality preventative general dental practices are ones that have friendly and caring dental hygienists who are specially trained to take care of the teeth and gum cleaning and importantly give extra education to the patient on how to better maintain their oral environment. Your caring dentist will do a full and thorough check up and will explain your dental condition and will be very approachable to answer any questions. Regular care and education about prevention of oral disease is the key to long term oral health. Distraction for patients at the dentist is vitally important. It may include music, televisions in the ceiling, sunglasses to stop the glare of the light etc, but most importantly is a friendly, caring, intimate and professional environment to reduce patient apprehension. Patients need to form a connection with their dental team to feel comfortable and trusting of the advice given,” stated Dr Adam Alford. A new trend in dentistry is the Tooth Spa. Are these the next big thing in dentistry or just a play on words? Think tranquil music flowing through the fragrant, candlelit waiting areas with the option of watching movies and possibly even a head massage while you simply lay back in a pair of protective sun glasses, carefully attended to by a softly spoken, usually attractive dental hygienist. The basic message is find a high quality preventative dentist fellas’, one who speaks the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but....tooth! If you are wanting that winning smile and a better, brighter love life! For more info visit www.mlccentredental.com.au Fact *Poor dental hygiene and periodontal gum disease are being linked to not only halitosis, but more serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes even some cancers. “HINTS AND MINTS” 1. Regular Dental cleans and check ups every six months. 2. Brushing teeth twice daily. 3. Flossing or using interdental (between the teeth) brushes once a day. 4. If using a mouthwash use an alcohol free, fluoridated mouthwash. 5. Chewing sugar free gum, using sugar free mints and drinking water regularly during the day can ease the symptoms of dry mouth and increase the saliva flow washing the teeth and gums better. “I dated a hot as hell guy. Demon in the sack, good job, perfect all rounder, but then I told him about the issue I had with his pit mouth…he got all offended and defensive. Said he uses mouthwash every day but I discovered he hasn’t flossed ever. He said he does everything right, even though he hadn’t visited a dentist in twelve years…I thought enough was enough and dumped him after dinner…geez, thinking back, it was that bad he even stunk the bedroom. Terri-Jane Taylor 32 Business Consultant Sydney “I had a boyfriend who had a gorgeous body; he worked out heaps, three to four times a week. He also had a great personality but had the worst hog breath. I tried to constantly drop hints and mints but in the end I had to dump him. I felt bad because he was a great person could have been the high-protein diet bless him." Lily Madonna Lehto 28 (Dental Hygienist) Sydney
Spa Better Breath

Energy drinks fuel dental epidemic August 3, 201027/01/11

AAP Soft drinks and energy drinks are fuelling a silent epidemic of tooth erosion among Australian teenagers, dentists say. The Australian Dental Association (ADA) said recent research conducted in Australian schools found 68 per cent of students had at least one tooth showing signs of erosion. Association South Australian president Sharon Liberali said the problem with most soft drinks and energy drinks was their high acid levels. Advertisement: Story continues below She said a recent study conducted by the association, in partnership with consumer group Choice, found that energy drinks such as Red Bull and V had higher acid levels than most other fizzy drinks. "Acid can directly damage the enamel surface of teeth, a process known as dental erosion, which has become a silent epidemic because we all tend to focus on tooth decay, rather than the damaging impacts of erosion, Dr Liberali said in a statement on Tuesday to launch dental health week. "Unlike tooth decay, which is caused by bacteria, tooth erosion occurs by chemical attack without bacterial involvement. "This means even people with perfect brushing and flossing can be at risk of tooth erosion." The ADA said energy drinks were the fastest growing category in the convenience beverage market with sales increasing nearly 20 per cent this year. A government study in Victoria also found that about 80 per cent of students aged 12 to 17 regularly consumed sugary soft drinks. Ten per cent drank three cans of high-sugar soft drink every day. "Energy drinks are of particular concern because of their increasing popularity and availability to teenagers," Dr Liberali said. © 2011 AAP

Holy molar, those sugar-free treats can damage children's teeth, too 22/06/10

written by AMY CORDEROY HEALTH .

June 22, 2010 www.smh.com.au.

POPULAR sugar-free foods and drinks can be so acidic they are as likely to damage teeth as sugar-filled products, a consumer group warns .

Parents who try to protect their children's teeth by buying sugar-free do not realise high-acid foods should also be avoided, according to Choice. .

"People look at products that have 'sugar-free' on the label and think they are good for your teeth," Choice's spokesman, Brad Schmitt, said. "What they don't realise is these products in some cases are just as bad"..

The group tested 85 different processed foods and drinks for both acid and sugar levels, and found many popular snacks such as Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bars and Golden Circle orange juice to be high in both acid and sugar. .

But parents should be careful of even medium-risk foods that were low in one but high in the other, Mr Schmitt said. .

"Kids love their muesli bars and fruit snacks but parents should limit them to be a once-a-week treat," he said. .

Both sugar and acid damage the teeth by eroding the minerals in the enamel of the tooth, says Neil Hewson, president of the Australian Dental Association. But sugar is worse as bacteria thrive on it. .

Eating a lot of acidic food can also make teeth more susceptible to damage from sugar. .

"I have seen patients who have [acid] erosion but don't have [sugar] decay," he said. "But it does require prolonged exposure. If you just quickly drink an orange juice that will have little effect but if you sip on juice all day you will do damage"..

Saliva helps ''re-mineralise'' teeth that have been damaged by sugar and acid. "That means if you only have exposure now and then the natural balance will work out," Dr Hewson said. .

Dr Adam Alford Rated Expert on Ezine Articles16/08/07

Cosmetic Dentistry, What is it all about?

Every dental advertisement you see mentions Cosmetic Dentistry. It is the new catch cry of the dental professional in the 21st century, but what does it really mean.

Cosmetic Dentistry or Aesthetic dentistry is a rather broad description for dental procedures, designed to improve or enhance a patients smile and so therefore their dental appearance. Remember though that not all cosmetic dentistry needs to be expensive, or it doesn’t mean complete ‘Dental makeovers’. A true cosmetic dentist is one that just carries out all of their treatment not only to a high functional level but also to a high cosmetic level. If you have a dentist who has cosmetic prowess then by the time you see them year in year out, and you replace fillings etc as they fail, then in the end you will have a beautiful long lasting cosmetically pleasing smile.

To read more on Cosmetic Dentistry please view the link below or http://ezinearticles.com/?Cosmetic-Dentistry,-What-Is-It-All-About?&id=644823
Cosmetic-Dentistry, What is it All About?

ADA concerned over sports drinks aimed at kids under 1326/06/07

The ADA has expressed concern over Gatorade’s Australian launch this week of its “world first” sports drink specifically targeting children under 13, “the tween market”. It is particularly disappointing given that company executives made verbal assurances to the association less than a year ago that children were not a prime market for its sports drinks.

Experts pour cold water on Gatorade Kelly Burke Consumer Affairs Reporter May 3, 2007 Sydney Morning Herald 03/05/07 www.smh.com.au

"WHEN we're done, tap water will be relegated to showers and washing dishes." The messianic ambitions of Gatorade's former American president came a step closer to being realised in Australia this week, with the launch of a "world first" sports drink targeting children under 13. But the product has not impressed nutritionists and dentists, who say the sugary acidic beverages are contributing to childhood obesity and poor dental hygiene.

Of perhaps even greater concern is the way Gatorade Active Under13s is being promoted as an alternative to water, with claims by the manufacturer that its product is more effective at rehydrating children after sport.

The Australian Dental Association said Gatorade's first foray into the "tween" market was particularly disappointing, given executives from the company had made verbal assurances to the association little more than a year ago that children were not a prime market for its sports drinks.

Dr Derek Lewis, the chairman of the association's Oral Health Committee, said there was evidence showing that the acid content in sports drinks was contributing to dental erosion and dissolving the hard enamel.

In the promotional material for the new sports drink, Simone Austin, the consultant dietitian to the Australian cricket team, is quoted as saying: "For very active kids, water is not enough."

ADA Supports Fluoride in Bottled Water05/06/07

The Australian Dental Association Inc (ADA) supports the addition of fluoride to bottled water.

“Recent calls by the Prime Minister, John Howard, and Choice Magazine to consider the addition of fluoride to bottled water are supported by the ADA.

Last year, a survey of fluoride content in still bottled water was published in the Australian Dental Journal. The average level was less than 10% (.08 part per million) of the optimum (1.00 part per million)” says Dr John Matthews, President of the ADA.

“The impact that consumption of non-fluoridated bottled water has on teeth is difficult to determine. It has to be taken in context with the consumption of other beverages that have grown recently in popularity. The intake of carbonated drinks, fruit juice and sports drinks places an individual at far greater risk of tooth decay than the consumption of non-fluoridated water.

However, the ADA suggests there is a potential link between increasing decay rates in children and teenagers and increased consumption of non-fluoridated water. The ADA believes bottled water should be fluoridated and that the fluoride content should be clearly marked on the label.

Many parents give young children filtered tap water. Parents should be aware that some filters (reverse osmosis) remove fluoride. The ADA believes manufacturers of filter systems should clearly stipulate a filter’s capacity to remove fluoride.

The overall ADA strategy recommended to prevent childhood caries (tooth decay) is:

• Use fluoride daily – in drinking water and toothpaste