Cirrhosis and Gum Disease

Improving your oral hygiene can improve your life in other areas, as well. At Fresh Meadows Dental Care, we firmly believe that dental health is a crucial component of overall health, and science backs us up. A new study found that improving gum health reduced the harm of cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis is what occurs when the liver is unable to function properly because prolonged inflammation has caused it to scar. As a result, inflammation becomes prevalent throughout the body and the brain is exposed to toxic substances that impede cognitive function. Scientists have long been aware that cirrhosis and gum disease are common in the same people, since both are caused by smoking and alcohol. But people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease also have higher than average rates of gum disease.

Researchers were interested in whether a reduction in one disease would affect the other. The recently published study found that people with cirrhosis who underwent treatment for periodontal disease had improved cognition and produced more of a bacterium that decreases inflammation compared to people who remained untreated. We don’t fully understand yet what the connection is, but we hope more people will understand that a professional tooth cleaning may be just the thing to make them feel better.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Sleep Apnea and Car Crashes

Sleep deprivation isn’t just a direct threat to a person’s health; it also makes normal activities riskier. At Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Flushing, we provide patients with oral appliances that can ease bruxism and obstructive sleep apnea (OAS). This is an especially important treatment option in light of new research linking OAS with car crashes.

People with OAS are not always aware that their quality of sleep is suffering. They may wake up with jaw pain as a result of their jaws moving forward in an attempt to keep their airways open, and they may snore, but they may not be taken fully out of sleep several times per night. However, the new research found that people with mild OAS are 13% likelier to cause a car accident and that people with severe OAS are 123% likelier. Worse, once people are sleep deprived, they have difficulty determining whether their impairment is mild or severe.

Custom-fitted oral appliances that ease bruxism reduce one source of a patient’s sleep disruption. People with sleep apnea can drive safely if they are undergoing treatment, which is why patients should help their dentists and sleep doctors to work together.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Acid Reflux and Sleep Apnea

Acid reflux or GERD is a common problem for patients at Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Oakland Gardens. As part of our mission to help improve patients’ quality of life, we recognize that many of the conditions we treat are closely related to other health issues and that GERD has been linked to sleep apnea. Therefore, we wanted to help patients to understand how to protect themselves and what we can do to help them.

The discomfort from acid eroding tooth enamel may cause people to clench or grind their teeth at night. This would cause pain in their shoulder muscles and headaches. But nighttime teeth grinding (bruxism) is also common in people who have obstructive sleep apnea and whose bodies are attempting to keep airways open. It may be that the acid itself is obstructing the airways as it travels up the esophagus and into the mouth. But in any case, bruxism is likely to cause patients to be pulled out of deep sleep on a regular basis.

Acid reflux and obstructive sleep apnea are both common in people who are overweight. Some contributors to acid reflux, in particular, are fried meats, dairy, foods from the garlic and onion family, alcohol, and citrus acid. Recent studies have found that CPAP machines, which are used to treat sleep apnea, are also effective against acid reflux.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Reasons for Filling Failure

At Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Oakland Gardens, as part of our mission to provide patients with the best possible service, we are always up-to-date on the latest research. Recently, a new study was released on the subject of early filling failure. We hope this information will let patients determine if they are at risk.

Fillings naturally last for about ten years, but this study gathered data on people whose fillings failed within two years. Smoking and alcohol use are known to contribute to many dental health problems, and the study found that men who smoked and people of both sexes who drank experienced premature filling failure at higher rates. Researchers were surprised that failure rates also ran in families and speculated that genetics may be the cause, so people whose family members have experienced filling failures should make sure to have their fillings regularly assessed.

Early filling failure is uncommon, and as long as patients keep up their oral hygiene, they shouldn’t have to worry too much. The study also examined whether the fillings’ construction materials were a factor, but found that white resin fillings work just as well as amalgam ones. This is good news for everyone who prefers the aesthetic of fillings that are naturally colored.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.