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Snoring, Fatigue and Diabetes

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Last Updated (Thursday, 16 February 2012 02:37) Wednesday, 15 February 2012 18:35

For years, John’s wife and children joked about his loud snoring that filed every room in the house at night. The family “joke” became serious when John’s wife started to notice long pauses in his breathing when he slept.

 

During a routine visit to Dr. Nehawandian, John mentioned his diabetes has gotten worse. He mentioned that his blood glucose levels were unpredictably high, requiring him to take insulin injections. John also talked about his lack of energy during the day.

 

Suspecting Sleep Apnea, Dr. Nehawandian referred John to a qualified Sleep physician, who conducted an overnight sleep study. John was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea.

 

John was treated by surgery to remove excess tissue in his throat. He was also prescribed an Oral Appliance to help him maintain an opened unobstructed airway during his sleep.

 

John no longer snores and has more energy than he has had in years. Most importantly, John’s morning glucose levels are under control, meaning he has been able to reduce the need for morning insulin injections.

 

Oral Health—A Wise Investment

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Last Updated (Monday, 24 August 2009 17:05) Monday, 24 August 2009 17:04

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Phrases such as “economic downturn,” “recession,” “harsh economic climate,” and “financial uncertainty” have become commonplace in headlines across the United States. Although investment and consumer woes continue to affect the housing, auto, financial, and job markets, one investment remains sound—the investment in oral health.

The economic crisis is sure to evoke stress. In fact, surveys from the American Psychological Association (APA) released last fall showed that nearly half of Americans said they were more stressed than a year earlier, with one-third rating their stress level as “extreme.” The APA also reported that more than 80 percent of Americans ranked “money” and “the economy” as significant causes of stress. And while chronic stress can lead to a host of health problems, including a weakened immune system and increased blood pressure, it also can take a toll on periodontal health. The correlation between oral and systemic health means that untreated periodontal disease may result in even more serious—and potentially expensive—overall health complications.

A study published in the February 2009 Journal of Periodontology (JOP) confirmed that stress can interfere with oral hygiene. In the study, 56 percent of participants self-reported that stress led them to neglect regular brushing and flossing. In addition, the study found that the hormone cortisol may play a role in the connection between stress and gum disease. Chronic stress is associated with higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol; previous research has shown that increased amounts of cortisol in the bloodstream can lead to a more destructive form of periodontal disease.

Another study published in JOP (December 2007) found that preventing periodontal disease may be one way to help lower total health care expenses. In the study, patients with severe periodontal disease had 21 percent higher health care costs than those subjects with no periodontal disease. Since additional research has shown that periodontal disease may lead to other serious health conditions, striving to maintain oral health may help to keep patients from incurring additional health care expenses, which ultimately would help to reduce total health care costs.

So, in this “harsh economic climate,” encourage your patients to reduce stress and seek healthy sources of relief. It’s sure to be a wise investment and one that will pay off in the long run.
   


Featured in AGD Impact, March 2009

Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009

 

Sugar-free Gums

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Last Updated (Tuesday, 18 August 2009 04:14) Tuesday, 18 August 2009 04:13

A new study has found that pregnant women with periodontal disease have an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes—even if they don’t smoke or drink. The study of 190 pregnant women was conducted by New York University dental researchers in collaboration with the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, where cultural taboos and poverty prevent the majority of women from smoking or drinking. The results support an earlier study that found that the women at New York’s Bellevue Hospital Center who had the most amount of bleeding in their gums also had the highest levels of glucose in their blood.
Kids and Their Sweet Bones
Don’t blame a child’s sweet tooth for sugary cravings. Instead, blame the child’s sweet bones. New research suggests that rapidly growing bones may be the culprit behind a child’s predilection for sweets. Researchers gave children, ages 11 to 15, samples of sugar-water and orange Kool-Aid containing various levels of sweetness. The children were placed into two groups: high preference or low preference for sweetness. Children who had the highest levels of a biomarker for bone growth in their urine were most likely to be in the group that liked the sweetest drinks, leading researchers to suggest that these children’s bodies crave sweets in order to obtain adequate calories for growth.

Printed in AGD Impact June 2009

   

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