Everybody knows somebody who snores and have been kept up at night by the noise. While snoring is an inconvenience (sometimes a rather serious one depending on who is doing the snoring) it is rarely more than this and even more rarely does it pose any kind of health problem. However, there is another kind of problem that affects people while they sleep that is not only very dangerous but can even be fatal.

Sleep apnea is often associated with snoring because it creates a similar sound but in reality the two conditions are quite separate. While snoring is the sound of breathing during sleep, apnea is the sound of the cessation of breathing during sleep, essentially choking. It can be caused in two different ways, either by a blocked airway due to a collapsing soft palate (known as obstructive sleep apnea) or as the result of a malfunction in the respiratory area of the brain (central sleep apnea).

In both cases, the problem usually resolves itself after about twenty to thirty seconds but because this can happen hundreds of times in the same night, it places a great deal of strain n the heart. It is often the underlying cause of stress, lack of concentration and poor performance at school or work. In extreme cases it puts so much strain on the heart that patients can have heart attacks. Sleep apnea sufferers often do not receive the treatment they need, either because they assume it is just snoring or because they have no idea the problem is even occurring. It does after all happen during sleep. London dentists are able to treat sleep apnea with special appliances or refer you to other professionals to treat the problem.

Sleep apnea is a condition often confused with snoring that causes you to make loud noises during sleep. Whereas snoring is the sound of breathing during sleep, apnea is the sound emitted when breathing is interrupted and actually stops. This can be very dangerous and has links to several health problems and even sudden death form heart failure.

There are two main types of sleep apnea. The first is called obstructive sleep apnea and occurs when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses temporarily blocking the airway. This then rights itself but the body is deprived of oxygen for a short time. This can happen many times during the night which you can imagine outs a great strain on the heart and doesn’t add up to a great night’s sleep. Obstructive apnea can usually be treated with a device from a London dentist. This device will need to be worn during the night to act as support for the palate.

The other kind of sleep apnea is called central sleep apnea and involves no physical blockage. The respiratory centre of the brain forgets to send the message to the lungs to breathe causing a temporary cessation of breathing. This is slightly harder to treat and will require an appointment with a sleep specialist.

One of the most interesting things about sleep apnea is that many people are completely unaware they are sufferers because it happens during sleep. It can have a huge impact on people’s lives, making them tired, stressed and even unwell without them knowing what is causing the problem. Ask your dentist for more information about sleep apnea.

Bad breath is a taboo subject in most social circles, and if you are a sufferer then you`re often the last to know says a City of London dentist. Testing your breath by breathing into your hands won`t give you any indication of the bad odour, your nose doesn`t allow it. Eating spicy foods is sometimes a cause of a bad odour, but this in itself is not bad breath as per say. Diabetes is a cause and a good one as it gives us an early sign of the disease, and if we are doing the right things to control it. Flossing between the teeth and regular cleaning of the teeth will seriously improve the state of your breath; you need to have a good oral hygiene routine which means brushing, flossing and washing the mouth constantly throughout the day. Just drinking ordinary water throughout the day will not only improve your body functions, but it will keep harmful bacteria at bay in the mouth. Carry flossing sticks and use them for a few minutes after every meal, they will loosen food debris and starve the bacteria of the fats and sugars that they need to survive. This bacterium dies off quickly and the decaying body`s gives off an odious odour, it all sounds disgusting and it is, just remember that this is happening in your mouth right now; and so you need to take more care. Just using a mouth deodoriser to disguise the smell won`t cure the problem, in extreme cases it is called Halitosis and it is very off putting g for anyone you are speaking directly with. Bad breath is a curable disorder, and if you need some professional help then consult with your dental surgery`s hygiene nurse. Make sure that you have a regime of oral hygiene and stick to it, you`ll see a remarked improvement in just a few days.

Teeth Grinding is such a medical concern they even have a special term for it; Bruxism. It usually starts in childhood when a child gets their two top and bottom teeth, at around the age of 10 months says a Central London dentist. It isn’t harmful at that age and many children don’t even grind all night long. When they get older the Bruxism can become more prominent and harmful, as it will wear down the adolescent teeth prematurely, this in turn will cause infections and nerve exposure problems. The cause is usually down to anxiety, even when the sufferer isn’t aware of the cause of the anxiety. The other problem it causes is headaches, sleeplessness and jaw ache, all of which are basically non-treatable because in order to treat them you would need to eliminate the Bruxism. There are loads of cures, that is the good news, the bad news is that most of these cures are `Old Wives Tales` and simply don’t work. The really good methods that do work are mouth guards that won`t stop the grinding, but will stop the damage and the other problems from happening. Hypnosis and anxiety management will also help a lot, they are tried and tested methods that are being recommended these days by many dentists. As worry, stress and pressure of work are thought to be the 3 most common causes of Bruxism, if you look at getting treated for these symptoms, and then you may well find the problem will disappear as quickly as it came. It may also help to consult your doctor as they may be aware of the problem; sufferers have reported that muscle relaxers have helped with the problem. There is even a Bruxism Association, which tells us that you as a sufferer are not alone, look them up on the web as they will be aware of the latest news, cures and information about this most unusual complaint.

Do your jaw muscles ache in the morning? Do your teeth show signs of premature wear or hurt when you eat first thing? If so, then you may be one of the one in ten people who suffer from teeth grinding during sleep. This condition is known as bruxism and can be responsible for a number of wider health complaints such as facial pain and TMJ.

For many years bruxism was thought to be caused by stress experienced during waking hours. This may be the case in some instances but many dentists have found that bruxism is often caused by a misalignment of the jaw. This causes the top and bottom teeth to sit awkwardly which can cause some irritation. This in turn causes muscles spasms to occur making the teeth grind together.

Not only will this cause erosion of the tooth enamel, which may lead to further dental complications such as decay and infection, but may result in sever muscular pain. This can be very uncomfortable and affect patients all through their waking hours. This can be even more frustrating when the cause of the problem is unknown, as it often is with bruxism.

Although there is no real cure for bruxism itself, it is possible for a City of London dentist to offer some form of relief. This may take the form of a mouth guard or dental appliance that can be worn when sleeping. This can alleviate the muscular pain and prevent further damage to the tooth enamel. In some cases it may be possible to realign the teeth through orthodontic treatment but this very much depends on the individual patient and the structure of their teeth and jaw.

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients’ breathing to be interrupted many times during the night on several nights of the week. It has also been found to thicken blood vessels and increase the risk of many forms of cardiovascular disease. It can be particularly dangerous in patients who have already suffered heart failure or who are currently suffering from heart disease.

The condition is caused, either when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses temporarily blocking the airways, or when the central respiratory area of the brain stops sending messages to the lungs to breath. In both cases the situation usually corrects itself after a few seconds but if this is happening many times during a night you can imagine the strain it will be putting on the heart.

This continual deprivation of oxygen is known as ‘chronic intermittent hypoxia’ and can affect the state of the patients’ blood vessels. It can also cause pulmonary hypertension which causes the heart to have difficulty when pumping.

Sleep apnea can be diagnosed by your London dentist. They should be able to distinguish between the different types of apnea in order to provide the most effective treatment. Although in most cases, sleep apnea will not cause heart failure, it does increase the risk and will also be the underlying cause of many other health problems such as stress and anxiety. Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea will usually involve fitting some kind of dental appliance to prevent the palate collapsing during sleep but will vary on the individual.

Nobody wants to have bad breath. It is a very unfortunate and embarrassing condition that affects not just you but also those around you. One of the most difficult things about bad breath is that it is often so difficult to tell if you are suffering. This can cause many people to reach for the mouthwash or oral spray in order to give them confidence that their breath is fresh. However, many oral products including mouthwash and even chewing gum could be giving you a false sense of confidence.

Bad breath is mostly caused by bacteria that live on food particles stuck in the teeth or in the grooves of the tongue. Other causes include gum disease and digestion problems but bacteria make up the majority of cases. Bacteria decays and releases bad odours which are carried out on the breath. Using oral products such as mouthwash or spray will kill some of these bacteria and temporarily mask the problem. However, after a time the bacteria will again begin to thrive and the smell will return. Oral products do not attack the cause of the problem and they also inhibit the natural production of saliva which could even make the situation worse.

The most effective cure for bad breath is better oral hygiene. More effective brushing and flossing and using implements like tongue scrapers will help to keep your teeth, gums and tongue free from as much food waste and bacteria as possible. By attacking the root of the problem, oral hygiene will help to keep your breath fresh and free of odours all day, without the need for you to resort to oral hygiene products. For more information about bad breath and how to cure it, ask you London dentist at your next six-monthly check up.

Typing ‘bad breath cures’ into an internet search engine instantly yields hundreds of thousands of sites promising the latest completely effective cure for bad breath. Some openly reveal their secret while others are more tantalising with their information. Countless herbal, dietary and medicinal solutions are cited as ‘guaranteed cures’ for bad breath but the real cure is actually a lot more simple.

Most cases of bad breath are caused by food particles getting trapped in the teeth and in the grooves of the tongue. These gradually decay and release nasty smelling odours that are carried out during exhalation. The secret to stopping bad breath is to make sure you do all you can to remove these food particles. This can be achieved relatively easily with better brushing, flossing and using other implements such as tongue scrapers.

Oral products such as mouthwash and sprays are generally not recommended by dentists as they do little more than mask the problem for a short period and then the embarrassing breath can return. This can be all the more frustrating because it is often very hard to tell when you have bad breath in the first place and some oral products may be giving you false confidence.

Central London dentists can help you to learn more effective ways of keeping your mouth and teeth clean to prevent bad breath. They can also recommend the most suitable toothbrush and toothpaste for your teeth. In some circumstances, the bad breath may not be being caused by oral problems and may require medical attention to cure. Your dentist will be able to advise you on the best course of action should this be the case.

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients’ breathing to be interrupted many times during the night on several nights of the week. It has also been found to thicken blood vessels and increase the risk of many forms of cardiovascular disease. It can be particularly dangerous in patients who have already suffered heart failure or who are currently suffering from heart disease.

The condition is caused, either when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses temporarily blocking the airways, or when the central respiratory area of the brain stops sending messages to the lungs to breath. In both cases the situation usually corrects itself after a few seconds but if this is happening many times during a night you can imagine the strain it will be putting on the heart.

This continual deprivation of oxygen is known as ‘chronic intermittent hypoxia’ and can affect the state of the patients’ blood vessels. It can also cause pulmonary hypertension which causes the heart to have difficulty when pumping.

Sleep apnea can be diagnosed by your London dentist. They should be able to distinguish between the different types of apnea in order to provide the most effective treatment. Although in most cases, sleep apnea will not cause heart failure, it does increase the risk and will also be the underlying cause of many other health problems such as stress and anxiety. Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea will usually involve fitting some kind of dental appliance to prevent the palate collapsing during sleep but will vary on the individual.

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes interruption of breathing during sleep. Many sufferers of sleep apnea are completely unaware that they have to condition because it happens when they sleep.

There are two variants of sleep apnea that are caused by different areas of the body. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses, temporarily blocking the airway. This causes a temporary cessation of breathing that will eventually right itself. This can happen many times a night, several nights of the week and can be the underlying cause of stress and anxiety during waking hours. It can also be very difficult for partners and loved ones to live with because of the associated noise. OSA can be treated with various appliances fitted to prevent the collapse of the soft palate.

The other kind of sleep apnea is called Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) and is caused when the respiratory centre of the brain omits to send a message to the lungs to breathe. This can be a very serious condition and is often indicative that the patient may be suffering from another serious health complaint. Because the area affecting CSA is the brain, it may be a sign that you are suffering from a condition such as Encephalitis or Neurodegenrative illness that is affecting your brain.

If you or a loved one is suffering or thinks they are suffering from any kind of interrupted sleep caused by cessation of breathing it is vital to make an appointment with a Central London dentist. They will be able to determine whether your sleep apnea is central or obstructive and put you in touch with the right people whatever the outcome.