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What is Sleep Apnea?

To diagnose sleep apnea, physicians will examine a person’s sleep patterns. The number of apnea episodes recorded during an hour will help determine the severity of the condition. A person with fewer than five episodes per hour is considered to have mild sleep apnea. People with more than fifteen episodes per hour are considered to have severe sleep apnea.

People with this condition are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The condition can lead to sudden death. In severe cases, drops in blood oxygen can trigger seizures. Patients with seizure disorders may become unstable if the condition is not treated. The condition may also cause angina or arrhythmias and can result in a heart attack.

Several lifestyle modifications can reduce the severity of the condition. For example, avoiding caffeine and heavy meals before bed can help reduce the risk of sleep apnea.

Nevertheless, most people with this condition will eventually need sleep apnea treatment in Salt Lake City, UT, to keep the airway open during sleep. One such treatment is continuous positive airflow pressure therapy (CPAP), a device that provides air pressure through an airtight nosepiece while you sleep. The device will prevent pauses in breathing, resulting in better sleep.

A medical exam and a detailed medical history can determine if you have sleep apnea. Some people with the disorder will experience daytime fatigue and crankiness. They may also experience depression and anxiety. Additionally, people with sleep apnea may be at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and other conditions.

What are the Treatments for Sleep Apnea

CPAP is the primary treatment for sleep apnea. Continuous positive airway pressure is a machine that delivers air pressure to the sleeper’s airway during sleep. This air pressure is significantly greater than surrounding air pressure, which helps prevent sleep apnea and snoring. Although some people find the machine uncomfortable and cumbersome, most people adjust it to their liking and soon find it effective.

However, it is not ideal for everyone, and half of the patients who begin using CPAP do not stick to it for the long term. Non-CPAP treatment options include lifestyle changes and fitted mouthpieces. However, these methods rarely treat moderate to severe sleep apnea. Other sleep apnea solutions you can use include:

• Inspire upper airway stimulation device

The Inspire upper airway stimulation device is a non-surgical solution to sleep apnea. The device works by sending mild stimulations to the hypoglossal nerve, which prevents the tongue from blocking the airway. The device is well tolerated by most patients and is not painful. However, patients must follow specific guidelines for the use of the device.

The Inspire upper airway stimulation device activates a physiological response in the subject, making breathing easier and reducing sleep disturbances. Patients who have failed conservative treatments are typical candidates for this treatment.

• Pacing of the hypoglossal nerve in the neck

Pacing the hypoglossal neural pathway in the neck may improve sleep quality for people with sleep apnea. This surgery is similar to an implantable pacemaker and involves the placement of an electrical cuff around the hypoglossal nerve. The electrical stimulation causes the tongue to move forward and open the airway.

It requires a thorough knowledge of neck anatomy and a thorough knowledge of hypoglossal nerve branches. This nerve innervates the musculature of the tongue, including the branches that retract and protrude the tongue. The procedure consists of several steps: anesthesia, sleep study, and hypoglossal nerve stimulation.

• Oral appliances

Oral appliances can help address the causes of sleep apnea. These appliances can be used to help people breathe properly and can also improve the overall quality of their sleep.

Your dentist will create an oral appliance based on your needs. A follow-up appointment is usually needed to ensure you are adjusting to the device.

What About Surgery?

Oral surgery can be done if all these other treatments fail. The primary purpose of oral surgery is to reduce tissues and open the airways, making it easy to breathe while sleeping.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit Warm Family Dentistry for more information about sleep apnea and how you can manage it.

Wisdom teeth are teeth located at the back of your mouth and are referred to as third molars. They are the last to grow and usually are in 2 pairs; 1 wisdom tooth in each corner of the upper and lower jaw, making a total of 4. Unfortunately, the pair of teeth often grow partially or in areas they are not supposed to.

This can be due to various factors, the common one being the lack of sufficient room to accommodate them. Here are common reasons that necessitate wisdom tooth removal.

Why Do You Remove Wisdom Teeth?

The Teeth Are Impacted

Wisdom teeth that fail to grow correctly are said to be impacted. In some cases, impacted wisdom teeth may not need removal, especially when they don’t cause dental pain, discomfort or overcrowding. However, suppose your impacted wisdom teeth constantly give you problems such as prolonged dental pain, increased tooth sensitivity and headaches. It might be best to see your dentist to have them extracted.

Lack of Space to Properly Accommodate Them

There was a time when wisdom teeth were useful, back when we used to eat uncooked food that required a lot of chewing to grind. However, things changed as we evolved, and the third molar became less valuable since we discovered fire, which then led us to eat cooked tender food. After we stopped using the teeth for centuries, our jaws shrank a bit which left insufficient space to accommodate the molars without causing overcrowding.

Some people still have longer jaws, enough to comfortably accommodate wisdom teeth. However, for those who don’t, the lack of room in the jaws to accommodate the teeth may cause dental problems, which can only be resolved through wisdom tooth extraction. When you go for wisdom teeth removal in Salt Lake City, UT, your dentist will do an inspection and recommend the best wisdom tooth removal procedure.

When They Increase the Risks of Getting Oral Problems

Your dentist may still recommend wisdom tooth extraction even when they are not impacted. This won’t be a random decision, but rather after they carry out a series of tests to determine if the tooth pauses any health risks.

For example, wisdom teeth may be harder to clean when brushing since they are too far back and trigger a gag reflex. Unfortunately, this may cause the tooth to be more vulnerable to infection and therefore need to be removed to prevent the spread of cavities.

How Wisdom Tooth Removal Takes Place

We will first do an inspection to determine if you are a good candidate for wisdom tooth removal.

If we find you to be a suitable candidate, we explain to you what the procedure involves and why you need it and then ask you to sign a consent form to commence treatment.

Once you give us your consent, we will give you an anaesthetic to numb the surrounding area of the tooth to be removed.

The procedure we’ll use to extract your tooth will depend on whether the tooth is fully or partially developed. If your tooth is only formed partially and not clearly visible, we will have to remove it through surgery. On the other hand, if the tooth has fully emerged from its socket, we may just rock it back and forth until it becomes loose and then extract it.

The time the procedure will take will vary. For example, if we do a simple tooth extraction, treatment may take 20 minutes or less. However, if the tooth was partially formed and hard to be removed through surgery, piece by piece, the procedure may take longer to complete.

Are There Any Side Effects After Wisdom Tooth Removal?

Just like any other dental procedure, wisdom tooth removal will cause you to experience some side effects. Common side effects that go away with time include swelling on the site of the wound, increased tooth sensitivity and discomfort.

We will prescribe painkillers and give you a list of aftercare instructions to make healing more comfortable. We don’t recommend poking the wound or brushing over it, as this can delay healing.

Conclusion

Wisdom tooth removal is a necessary dental procedure as it can help alleviate dental pain while preventing other dental problems. Since we hardly use it, you don’t have to worry about the impact that will be felt after removing the third molar. Visit Warm Family Dentistry today for the best wisdom tooth extraction in Salt Lake City, UT. We have a skilled and experienced dentist who ensures all dental procedures are safe and painless.

Many breastfeeding women worry about whether their kid has lip or tongue ties, and if they have, how it’ll be treated. Unfortunately, the answer is that you can’t tell based on your baby’s appearance alone. These ties are diagnosed by an experienced medical professional such as our dentist in Salt Lake City, UT. However, common signs might help you determine whether your baby has a lip or tongue tie.

What’s Tongue Tie?

It’s also known as ankyloglossia. In this condition, your child’s tongue is attached too tightly at its base. A tongue-tie often occurs when your baby’s lingual frenulum connecting the tongue to the bottom of the mouth is too short, thick, or malformed. This makes it difficult for your kid to move their tongue freely and often causes issues with breastfeeding and speaking.

What’s a Lip Tie?

This condition occurs when there is insufficient space between your kid’s upper and lower gums. This’s due to two reasons: The labial frenulum may be attached to one side of the upper gum too closely. Or it can be because of ankyloglossia when your baby’s frenulum that connects the base to the mouth’s bottom is too short. In addition, a lip tie may limit movement and make feeding difficult.

Signs of a Lip or Tongue Tie

Lip and tongue ties can make it difficult to feed your baby effectively. Here are a few signs that this condition could be at the root of your challenges.

Difficulty Latching During Breastfeeding

Latching refers to the way the baby attaches to the mom’s breast. A proper latch is pain-free and comfortable with the baby’s chest and stomach resting against the mom’s body. The baby’s mouth should be over the entire breast rather than just the nipple.

If the baby has a lip or tongue tie, you’ll find that the initial latching process isn’t as seamless as it should be. As a result, your child might struggle to remain latched or get a comfortable latch.

Painful Breastfeeding

The sensation might be a little unusual if you’re a first-time mom. However, it shouldn’t be painful. If the process is uncomfortable, it may be because your baby hasn’t latched successfully in the right position. For instance, if your baby is tongue-tied, they might concentrate too much force on your nipple, which can cause pain.

Infant Fatigue While Breastfeeding

Nursing can put a tired baby to sleep. For that reason, you’ll find that your little one reaches for you when they’re sleepy, fussy, or in distress. It helps them relax, be comfortable, and be soothed.

The intent is not for the baby to become fatigued while struggling to latch and feed properly. If you notice that nursing is frustrating and exhausting your child, this might signify a tongue or lip tie.

You might also see they’re tired because they have difficulty breathing while feeding. This’s common in kids with a tongue tie, as they can’t perform the wave-like motion required to move food from the front of the mouth to the back before swallowing. This results in poor breath patterns, which might cause them to become overwhelmed and exhausted.

Limited Tongue Mobility

Babies have hilarious facial expressions, and one of them is a tongue-out giggle if your baby’s tongue-tie, the mobility of sticking their tongue out might be partially or fully limited.

Also, this may make breastfeeding unproductive and uncomfortable. This is because your kid’s tongue needs a full range of motion to latch onto your rest successfully.

Poor Weight Gain

Most babies lose 7-10 % of their birth weight as soon as they’re born. However, most regain that weight within two weeks of their birth. If your baby hasn’t reached that mark, visit your pediatrician’s office in Warm Family Dentistry because they’ll reveal if your baby’s weight gain isn’t where it’s supposed to be. This might be a sign of incomplete nutrition or inadequate feeding, which can be attributed to tongue or lip ties.

Treatment of Lip or Tongue Ties

If you suspect you suffer from these ties, you should treat lip and tongue ties in Taylorsville. Our dentist performs simple laser surgery to correct the problem. The process is called a frenectomy, performed at the dentist’s office. But, first, the dentist addresses the inflexible.

If you are missing teeth and want to cover that spaces, there are various options to replace the missing teeth. But how do you know which one is right for you? Dentures and dental implants are two solutions that replace at least one missing tooth. Both can help improve your speech, support facial muscles, improve your confidence and make eating simpler. Today, both choices are used to enhance the appearance of one’s smile.

If you’re facing confusion to selecting between dentures or dental implants, you have arrived at the perfect place. In this blog, we’ll compare dental implants and dentures to conclude which treatment is suitable for you.

What Are Dentures?

Dentures are custom-made and removable teeth replacements. They are made with an acrylic base and resin or porcelain material for the teeth. These false teeth are a simple and affordable solution that protects your facial shape, restores your biting function, and provides you with a confident smile.

Two types of dentures are:

1. Complete Dentures

Complete dentures are used when one of the teeth on the upper, lower, or jaws needs replacement. Since they aren’t put over existing teeth or some other supportive structure, they must lie directly on the gums.

2. Partial Dentures

Dentists use partial dentures to fill in holes in the teeth. They are held by clasps that fit around the already existing teeth. They are the best option for people missing a few teeth on the upper or lower jaw. But that does not meet all requirements for dental implants or dental bridges.

If you need alternative dentures in Salt Lake City, UT for yourself or your family, visit our clinic today.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are titanium screws added to your jawbone. It is a permanent choice for replacing a tooth, including the root. This is a replacement that seems to be your natural tooth.

These artificial replacements feel like the real ones with no distress, unlike dentures, which will generally slide around when you bite on hard food varieties.

Which Is Best?

Looking over both denture and dental implants, which one is right for you depend upon different factors, including:

a) Cost

The primary thing to consider is cost. Dental implants are more costly than dentures, which is the reason many people choose dentures rather than implants.

b) Longevity

Dentures typically last for about 7 to 15 years, while dental implants are designed to offer a permanent solution to tooth loss. They can last for 20 – 30 years.

c) Functionality

Dentures lie directly on gums, so they can slip around and cause discomfort. While dental implants are fixed to the jawbone like real teeth, they do not slide around. Implants will generally look and feel a bit more natural compared to dentures.

d) Maintenance

Dentures require everyday maintenance to ensure they keep on going to the extent that would be possible. For dental implants, you can brush and floss just like natural teeth.

e) Eating

With dentures, you must stay away from specific sticky or hard food varieties. But there is no such limitation with dental implants.

f) Appearance 

Dentures are detectable if they come loose or slip, causing embarrassment. Dental implants look close to the real thing and improve your cheeks and lips.

g) Comfort Level

All dentures in Taylorsville, UT are made to be pretty much as possible. They are customized to accommodate your mouth and tooth structure, ensuring that they won’t slip and slide in your mouth. Dental implants are also secure. Many people find them more comfortable than dentures as they don’t look awkward when you eat or talk.

Contact Experts at Warm Family Dentistry Today

If you’re looking for a fast and reasonable solution, then dentures may be great for you. On the other hand, a dental implant will result in the most natural-looking replacement tooth after some time because of its durability and ability to coordinate with the bone in the healing process.

It is what makes them ideal if you are searching for long-term results.

Still not sure if dental implants or dentures are right for you? The ideal way to find out is to consult with a dentist in Salt Lake City, UT.

Are you experiencing a throbbing pain that is affecting your eating habits, and your dentist recommended that you have a root canal treatment? Do you have worries or doubts about the procedure? It is normal to have concerns as this procedure is invasive and might involve extracting the infected tooth.

But you shouldn’t worry, as we at Warm Family Dentistry will help you walk through every step. Our dental specialists use the latest dental equipment to achieve the desired results. The root canal treatment might require two appointments depending on the amount of infection in your tooth. On average, the treatment may take 30 to 60 minutes to be completed.

What is a Root Canal treatment?

Decay-causing bacteria to eat away and weaken your tooth’s enamel reducing the protection between your tooth nerves and the outside world. Untreated advanced decay can affect your teeth’ blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue, causing an infection. When this infection reaches the pulp and your tooth’s root, you have to undergo a root canal treatment to remove this infection and prevent the loss of your tooth or any other complications.

A root canal treatment is a safe and effective procedure for eliminating a dental infection and maintaining the health and quality of your teeth.

What Happens During A Root Canal Treatment?

Before beginning your root canal treatment in Salt Lake City, UT, your dentist will take dental x-rays of your affected tooth. This will help them determine where the infection is and the extent of the damage and ensure that the root canal is the right treatment option.

Here are the steps that will be done to complete the root canal treatment. It includes:

• • Anesthesia. Your dentist will give your local anesthesia to numb the infected tooth and the gums surrounding it. This helps you to relax during the procedure. Some medications that may also help you relax include oral sedatives and nitrous oxides. The dentist will recommend sedation if you have dental anxieties.
  • Dental dam placement. Before your dentist starts the root canal treatment, place a small rubber dam over the affected areas. This helps to isolate the tooth ah keep it dry throughout the procedure.
  • Access hole. Next, your dentist makes an opening on the crown of your tooth to access the pulp.
  • Pulp removal. The dentist then uses tiny dental instruments to remove your tooth’s blood vessels, nerves, and tissues.
  • Shaping the canals. After the blood vessels, nerves and tissues are removed, the pulp chamber and the root canals are cleaned, shaped, and disinfected.
  • Filling the canals. The empty root canals and then filled with flexible and rubber-like dental material known as gutta-percha.
  • Sealing the tooth. Your dentist then placed a temporary dental filling to seal the tooth and prevent bacteria from entering the site.
  • Placing the final restoration. In many cases, you will need a dental crown to restore your bite and protect the treated tooth. The dental crowns are custom made to match your teeth, and the fabrication may take two to three weeks to be prepared.

When your crowns are ready, you will have another appointment to replace the temporary filling with the permanent crown. In some instances, you can receive the dental crown on the same day.

How Long Does it Take to Heal From a Root Canal?

Mostly, patients require only a few days to recover from a root canal treatment. However, following the procedure, the patient may fill irritated or sore for the first 24-48 hours. Your Dentist in Salt Lake City, UT., will prescribe some over-the-counter mediation to help manage pain and soreness.

Applying a cold compress can also help manage any pain and swelling and assist in a speedy and smooth recovery. Your dentist will advise you not to skip your dental hygiene routine. You should also not apply pressure or chew on the treated tooth until your dental crown is placed.

However, if you continue feeling the following after the root canal treatment, you should visit your dentist. If:

• Your bite is uncomfortable
• Swelling does not reduce after at most two days
• The temporary dental filling falls
• You continue feeling pain r experiencing pain in the gums before undergoing the treatment.

Technology has seen the development of Waterlase laser dentistry which is used to care for your dental health. Waterlase is an alternative to traditional drilling used in dentistry, and this means the dentist in Taylorsville, UT, does not have to use anesthesia when performing most routine dental procedures.

The traditional drill used during dental procedures creates vibration, pressure, and heat that is not comfortable to deal with during the treatment process. This is different from the Waterlase laser. First, we will answer some of your questions concerning this type of laser dentistry.

How Does Waterlase Laser Work?

This laser treatment uses a water stream and a beam of power generated by a laser. This laser is then used to reshape bone, restructure gum tissues and remove tooth decay with precision.

What’s more is that this Waterlase laser dentistry in Salt Lake City, UT, can cut through both soft and hard tissues like the gum and teeth tissue. This is because the combination of water with energy produces a unique wavelength that is strong enough to cut through the surfaces.

The technology used in Waterlase laser dentistry makes it different from the typical driller. This is because Waterlase laser dentistry uses technology that produces water spray and comfortable air when drilling your tooth. This makes your treatment procedure better than when the dentist uses the regular drill.

What Are the Uses of Waterlase Lasers?

Waterlase laser dentistry in Taylorsville, UT, is used for the same purpose as the traditional drills. This means that this type of laser dentistry is used for general and cosmetic dental procedures.

The first treatment procedure that dentists use Waterlase laser is when removing dental caries. The lasers in Waterlase technology can remove tooth decay from your teeth with ease and precision. This is because the machine does not create vibrations like the regular drill.

Dentists also use Waterlase laser treatment when preparing your tooth for the cavity treatment. The technology used in Waterlase allows the dentist to deal with the damaged areas in your tooth without invading the healthy areas. This technology has increased precision and improved the quality of work done.

Soft tissue treatment is also possible with Waterlase treatment. This includes treatments like gum contouring, gingivectomy, crown lengthening, and flap procedure treatment have all become easier and less painful to perform thanks to the invention of Waterlase laser treatment. In addition to that, this laser treatment is less invasive than the traditional drills that were earlier used, reducing the infection rate after the treatment process.

Now that we have looked at some uses of Waterlase laser treatment, here are some benefits of this laser dentistry.

First, it reduces the risk of cross-contamination. Waterlase laser technology works with no contact between the machine and your tooth. This reduces the risk of transferring bacteria from one patient to another.

Moreover, this laser treatment is more precise than regular drilling. This is because the laser used is directed to work on the areas that are only required. This is also beneficial when reducing the healing period as only a small area of your tooth is invaded compared to when using the typical drill, which damages most of the tooth area.

Waterlase laser dentistry is cost-effective. This means that you will not be charged more than what you would typically pay when undergoing treatment with the regular drill. The advantage is that you will pay the same for a safer and more precise treatment.

Is Laser Dentistry Less Painful?

Typically, laser dentistry is less painful than the typical drill that starts with needles, as you have to be injected with anesthesia to make the treatment less painful. The good news is that laser dentistry is less painful. There is minimal contact using the laser drills, meaning less pressure is exerted on your teeth. This means there will be less bleeding and pain in your gums and teeth.

What’s more, is there will be less swelling as less pressure is used with laser dentistry. This ensures you have a faster recovery period. Visit Warm Family Dentistry, and we will work on your tooth and restore your oral health and smile in no time.

You might swallow a dental crown if the adhesive holding the crown to the underlying tooth wears off, leaving you confronting a situation you never thought possible. The problem results from loose crowns not being restored by visiting a dentist to avoid dental anxiety or other reasons.

Swallowing a dental crown is not a great situation but compels you to schedule an appointment with dental crowns in Salt Lake City, UT, for a replacement to protect your tooth from further damage. However, what do you do with the crown in your stomach? Besides scheduling an appointment with your dentist for a new problem, you might also have to visit a gastroenterologist as soon as possible. However, a swallowed dental crown is not a severe medical emergency.

Where Could Your Dental Crown Be in Your Tummy?

Your digestion has a pace of its own and will not increase the speed of digestion merely because you have swallowed a crown. The dental restoration will remain lost in your upper digestive tract enjoying your stomach acids for about 12 hours before moving downwards in a couple of days for the inevitable departure from your bowels.

The entire procedure may require about 48 hours, depending on the state of your intestines and the blockage present in them. You might not dispose of the swallowed dental crown for weeks in some cases. However, you must get to a medical professional to get an x-ray done to determine where the crown is lodged in your intestine.

After getting an x-ray, the medical professional will determine the future course of action. The dental crown will pass through the intestine if it is safe or needs surgical removal. However, dental crowns rarely cause any problems and should move out of your body without causing complications.

Potential Complications

Various materials help make dental crowns, including gold, stainless steel, and porcelain. The materials are safe and will not corrode in the body or release any harmful byproducts. Dental crowns are not digestible and will settle in your intestinal tract finding a place for itself and allowing you to pass it without complications. It indicates you merely need to exercise patience and wait until you hear metallic sounds in the toilet bowl unless you decide to regurgitate it and look for the crown.

Whether you throw up to crown or not, using the option is beneficial because you immediately have your restoration back in your hands. It provides you peace of mind knowing a new dental crown will not set you back by $ 800 or more from the dentist in Taylorsville, UT, besides multiple dental appointments. If you manage to throw up the dental restoration, you can have your dentist fix the dental crown over your tooth without remaining concerned about getting a new restoration. However, you must schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible to ensure your tooth doesn’t shift position to render a perfectly fitting crown useless.

What If You Cannot Regurgitate the Dental Crown?

If you cannot regurgitate the dental crown, your next best option is to look for restoration in your stools. You might find looking down your stools for the restoration objectionable, but the high prices of dental crowns will undoubtedly compel you to look for your crown whenever you enter the bathroom for your next bowel movement.

The restoration will likely not show up for at least 12 to 14 hours. However, it causes no harm to look for the dental crown to establish a routine to ensure you don’t overlook or inadvertently lose the crown by neglecting to look for it.

You might require 36 to 48 hours until you pass your last meal. The delay in digesting your previous meal might not play a significant role when you pass your dental crown. However, if you haven’t recovered the dental restoration by 36 to 48 hours, it doesn’t make sense for you to continue looking at your stools for extended periods. Instances are documented to confirm some dental crowns require at least five days to pass while others remain in the stomach for seven to ten days.

While your dental crown rests in your tummy, enjoying all the foods you have, you cannot relax waiting for it to appear unexpectedly. You must consider getting a new crown over your tooth without wasting time by visiting the Taylorsville dentist to protect your tooth against any damages that might require intensive treatments.

If you have swallowed a dental crown and need help to cool yourself, Warm Family Dentistry can help you provide new dental restorations in the shortest time possible to safeguard your tooth.

Unless you know enough about TMJ disorder, you may not appreciate the severity of the condition. Medical experts and researchers continue to explore the link between TMJ disorders and other health problems like stress, depression, and anxiety.

What Is TMJ?

It is an acronym for temporomandibular joint, a connective joint between the jawbone and the skull. When the joint is dysfunctional, it introduces several oral problems, including:

1. Pain in your jaw when you chew, eat, laugh, or yawn
2. Jaw lock – the mouth gets stuck in the open-mouth position
3. Swollen cheeks
4. Migraine headaches
5. Ear pain
6. Toothaches
7. Clicking sounds when you move your mouth

The dysfunction of the joint results in a condition called TMD, temporomandibular joint disorder. However, many people use TMJ and TMD interchangeably to refer to the dysfunction of the connective tissue.

What Causes TMJ Disorder?

TMJ disorder can occur due to a direct impact on the location of the joint, the area on your cheeks right underneath the ears. However, some causes of TMD may comprise the movement of the jawbone gradually over time. Some of the factors that affect the functionality of your jawbone’s connective joint include the following:

1. Dental injuries or accidents – dental trauma is a common cause of jaw-related problems in dentistry. People involved in high-contact sports like football and boxing must wear mouthguards and other protective gear to protect their mouths.
2. Bruxism – is a condition featuring excessive teeth clenching and teeth grinding. When you persistently and repeatedly glide your teeth against each other, the force can cause unnecessary tension and pressure on the TMJ.
3. Stress – stressful situations can cause intense anxiety and depression. The consequence is that you clench your face a lot, putting pressure on both your facial muscles and your jawbone. Eventually, stress may result in TMD.
4. Infections – TMJ caused by infections is not as common as other causes. However, an infection in your nasal or oral cavity may be enough to cause changes in the performance of the TMJ. Further, the human body typically responds to infections with inflammation. The swelling may spread to the TMJ and cause other jaw-related problems.

Does TMJ Affect the Brain?

At Warm Family Dentistry, our dental specialists continue to examine and evaluate the relationship between TMJ disorders and brain activity. Technically, TMJ disorder results in many other symptoms in the body that have nothing to do with the oral cavity. For instance, during TMJ Treatment in Salt Lake City, UT, your dentist may address other pain areas like the neck, shoulder, or head. In the same way, the functionality of TMJ affects the equilibrium of different parts of your head, which makes sense that TMD would impact cognitive function.

Taylorsville dentists have found that patients suffering from TMJ disorders tend to be stressed and unsettled due to the various pains they experience in their bodies. When you have a persistent headache, aching jaw, neck, and shoulders, it is not unreasonable that you would be unsettled and in distress. Besides, TMD over-indulges your brain to the focus of your pain. With a lot of effort channeled to your pain, your brain can hardly focus on other areas of life. Without treatment by a dentist in Salt Lake City, UT, TMD can affect many cognitive functions, especially due to the pain you experience. Some of the ways that TMJ disorders may affect your brain are:

1. Reduced concentration
2. Heightened stress and anxiety
3. Slowed planning and execution of tasks
4. Poor sleeping patterns
5. Heightened sensitivity to touch
6. Hearing problems

The Direct Impact of TMD on Anxiety and Depression

Although stress could be why you suffer TMD, the disorder itself can result in anxiety and depression. Many patients who battle chronic pains are diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders. With TMD, the stakes are higher because it results in pain in different body parts. A chronic case of TMD may leave you experiencing pain in multiple areas of your upper body. Relying on pain medication while your brain delegates an incredible amount of effort toward your body pain can lead to depressive thoughts.

Gum infections are usually caused by bacteria entering the gums and causing an infection. It is rare for gum infection to be caused by Invisalign

No, Invisalign® cannot cause gum infection as long as you follow the guidelines and care instructions given.

Gum disease is caused by bacteria in the mouth that make harmful substances called acids. These acids can damage the teeth and gums, leading to cavities, bone loss, and gum disease.

Gum tissue is thin and sensitive, so it is more susceptible to bacteria. The bacteria can get under the gum line, and it is difficult to remove them without professional treatment. Gum disease can also cause bad breath if it goes untreated.

It is important to note that there is no evidence suggesting that Invisalign causes gum disease. However, if the patient happens to have gum disease while wearing their aligners, it can make the disease more severe.

The main reason behind this is that the aligners are worn in the mouth for long periods, leading to bacteria buildup.

Therefore, it is advised that you clean your mouth with water and toothpaste after each meal while wearing your aligners.

What is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is a bacterial infection in your mouth and can cause gums to recede and bone to deteriorate.

Gum disease is categorized into stages–gingivitis and periodontitis.

Gingivitis is the milder form of gum disease, and it just affects the gums, but Periodontitis is more severe and leads to tooth loss when not treated.

When plaques accumulate in the gum line, they can harden and form tartar. It is the tartar that causes gum disease. If you don’t practice proper oral hygiene, you can develop gingivitis and periodontitis.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a mouthpiece that helps move your teeth without braces or wires. This type of dental treatment allows you to achieve straight teeth while having less visibility. The design of the aligners means you can eat, drink, and brush your teeth as usual throughout the process.

Straighter teeth are usually better for both health and appearance reasons. Aligned teeth can make you feel confident about yourself in social settings. It is also easier to maintain good oral hygiene while wearing Invisalign aligners because there are fewer places for food to get stuck.

How is Invisalign and Gum Disease Linked?

It is rare for you to develop gum disease when using Invisalign in Salt Lake City, UT. However, you can develop infections that lead to gum disease if you do not follow the instructions. Invisalign aligners require high levels of hygiene and discipline for the treatment to be successful.

While Invisalign gives you the freedom to eat what you want, you need to remember to take them off when doing so. This will prevent discoloration and damage to the teeth.

It is also vital to clean the aligners every day when brushing to remove any plaques from accumulating in the aligners. Also, keep the aligners in a denture solution to keep them moist.

It is recommended that you wear the aligners for 22 hours every day and remove them when eating and brushing. Do not forget to visit the Taylorsville dentist every six to eight weeks for monitoring.

How Can You Prevent Gum Disease?

There are many ways to prevent the onset of gum disease. Following a regular toothbrush routine and brushing and flossing at least twice a day is a good start.

As well as following good hygiene, it is important to limit sugary drinks and snacks, as these can cause the protective bacteria in the mouth to become less effective.

Rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash twice a day to kill bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Also, visit a dentist at least twice a year for professional cleaning and exam, which will remove plaque buildup from between the teeth and below the gum line.

Certain medications can also be an underlying factor, such as certain antibiotics, and accelerate gum disease. If you are on such, it is crucial to discuss this with your dentist in Salt Lake City, UT, and determine if there is anything that they may recommend.

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Visit Warm Family Dentistry for more information about gum disease and how you can prevent it.

Sleep is the body’s rest cycle. It is a condition in which an individual’s awareness of environmental stimuli is at its lowest. Sleep is essential for survival, and it plays a crucial role in carrying out some activities such as learning, metabolism, immune function, memory, and other vital functions of the body.

Did you know that an average human needs about seven to eight hours of sleep every day to be healthy? Are you doing that daily? It would help if you started today. However, some people find it hard to get straight hours of uninterrupted sleep due to a disorder known as sleep apnea.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that involves the repeated starting and stopping of an individual’s breathing while sleeping. You might have sleep apnea if you often feel tired after a night’s sleep and snore loudly. Untreated sleep apnea leads to loud snoring, daytime tiredness even after a whole night’s sleep, and even severe health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure stroke, heart attack, etc.

Types Of Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This type of sleep apnea is characterized by repeated complete or partial blockage of your upper airway while you are asleep. It is the most common type of sleep apnea, and it occurs because the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses. When this happens, the diaphragm and chest muscles work harder than usual to open the airways. That may cause you to resume breathing with loud gasps and body jerks. Risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea include drinking alcohol, smoking, old age, obesity, nasal congestion, family history, etc.

Central Sleep Apnea

This type of sleep apnea has to do with the functions of the nervous system. It occurs when the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. It happens due to instability issues in the respiratory control area in the brain. Poor signaling means periodic breathing pauses during sleep, hence, sleep apnea. Risk factors for central sleep apnea include heart disorders, male sex, narcotic pain medication, old age, etc.

Complex Sleep Apnea

This type of sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. It is a situation where an individual has central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:

•  Night sweats
• Cognitive impairments
• Snoring
• Dry mouth
• Sore throat after waking up
• Depression or anxiety, e.t.c.

On the other hand, symptoms of central sleep apnea include:

• Bedwetting
• Behavioral disorders
• Breathing and swallowing difficulties
• Excessive night sweating
• Unusual sleeping positions etc.

You should seek sleep apnea treatment immediately you notice any of these signs because untreated sleep apnea can lead to many health problems.

Central Sleep Apnea Treatment

You cannot cure sleep apnea naturally. At Warm Family Dentistry, we help our patients through the conventional treatments available. First, we start by addressing the risk factors. Heart failure and the use of opioid medication are some of those. Hence, treating a person for heart failure or any other medical problem and reducing/eliminating opioid medicines may work. Another method we frequently use is mechanical therapy. Let’s see how this works.

Mechanical Therapy

Doctors can treat sleep apnea through Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy. It involves the patient wearing a mask that gently forces air through the nose and mouth to keep the airways open. Other types of mechanical therapy include:

• Adaptive Servo-ventilation (ASV).
• Bi-level PAP.
• Auto CPAP or Auto Bi-level PAP.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment

The first line of action is conservative methods. These include:

• Losing weight.
• Use of nasal sprays or breathing strips to reduce snoring.
• Avoid alcohol and certain sleeping pills.
• Change of sleeping positions and use of wedge pillows.
• Drug therapy.

If these fail, mechanical therapy comes in. People with mild to moderate sleep apnea can also benefit from an oral mouthpiece that keeps the airway open when sleeping.

Sleep Apnea Surgery

Sleep apnea surgery is for people with excessive or malformed tissues that obstruct the airflow through the nose or throat. Surgeries for sleep apnea come in after CPAP machines and other conservative measures have failed. Surgical procedures for sleep apnea include:

• Tonsillectomy.
• Somnoplasty.
• Nasal surgery.
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).
• Maxillary/mandibular advancement surgery.