Category: Blog

Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder that interrupts the sleep of millions of Americans every night, and moreover, if left untreated, can be very dangerous. There are many things that can help people with sleep apnea find permanent relief, and some of those are not always the easiest solutions. One solution is for people who are overweight or obese that are suffering from sleep apnea is for them to lose weight. Another option is using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or a similar machine can help keep the airway open while someone sleeps to help them breathe. Oral breathing devices such as nasal dilators can be worn at night to ensure breathing is regulated. There are medications that people can take to help them stay awake during the day when there is no device on their body to help them breathe. There are also surgeries in some cases that can help relieve the pressure and restore breathing while the person is sleeping.

The first steps will usually come with lifestyle changes (for weight loss) and CPAP devices to see if that helps treat the sleep apnea as those are the least invasive and least costly options overall. Surgery will only be the case in a situation where there is a blockage that is causing the problem that can be easily fixed.

In almost every case, CPAP will be the first treatment the offer someone with sleep apnea. Using CPAP means that the person has to use a breathing device at night while sleeping to keep the airway from closing while they sleep. CPAP can help decrease a person’s daytime sleepiness (due to fewer interruptions to their rest during the night due to not being able to breathe) and can lower both daytime and nighttime blood pressures. It may take time for you to get used to the CPAP machine while sleeping, but with adjustments made to the mask to allow it to fit comfortably, you should be able to adjust to the machine in a few weeks or less.

Oral breathing devices are also available for conditions in which they fit the situation. These devices simply reposition your tongue during sleep so the airway is left open so breathing is made easier. This is for people who have more mild-to-moderate sleep apnea. People who have severe sleep apnea will often find that this does not work as well for them. Your doctor may also suggest you use a nasal dilator in conjunction with the oral breathing device to ensure that airways are open and allowing you to breathe freely and fully while sleeping. Many of these devices are able to be purchased at medical device stores and you likely won’t even need a prescription for such devices.

Sometimes, these are not the only solutions for sleep apnea, and other conditions may be implicating your sleeping patterns. Sometimes people will find out that they are having inflamed nasal passages (rhinitis) and a nasal spray to help decrease the inflammation is the answer to their issues. People may also possess an underactive thyroid gland that is causing this problem and they will need some medication to restore the function of the thyroid to normal.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us visit us here or call us 909-465-1016. The Ramona Dentistry Team “Where Family Comes First”

It’s the warmest months of the year that stretch ahead of us with endless time at the beach, pool, or outdoors just relaxing and spending time with family and friends. This is the time of year for graduation parties, class reunions, etc. which means more parties and more photos. This means people do a lot more relaxing, and likely a lot more smiling. Thus, this makes summer one of the most common times for people to seek whitening treatments to make their smile the best it can truly be.

Professional Bleaching Procedures:

The first thing you will need to do is determine which kind of treatment you want so you know which option will be the best for you. The questions abound: Do you have porcelain teeth or a discolored stain to the front teeth? Is there decay on any of your teeth currently? These will have massive implications on what kind of treatments will work for you or which won’t.

Professional whitening recommendations will vary. Some offices will require you to have impressions made of your teeth to make you custom trays that fit into your mouth so you can use the gels they provide in the comfort of your own home to whiten your teeth. Others will provide this treatment in-office using lasers or ultraviolet lights to help active a solution or goo that is put on the teeth to help them whiten. These are the treatments that are going to take longer so sometimes scheduling them before school starts and things get busy can help ensure you have the time you need to get these treatments done. You have more time and these whitening procedures can take a few appointments that may last 1-2 hours in length. Your dental professional can help you determine if these are the right treatments for your situation.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Treatments:

These are the whitening kits you buy at the local grocery store or Walmart that allow you to do the whitening at home. Usually, these will not deliver quite the results of in-office whitening treatments, but they will also be much less expensive.

These treatments can include things like whitening toothpaste to remove stains from things such as coffees, teas, cigarettes, and other discoloring agents. This toothpaste can help restore the teeth’s natural colors and are a great first-step in the whitening process at home. This toothpaste will not make the tooth more sensitive to heat or cold either, so you can still enjoy ice pop or ice cream without worrying about a stinging sensation in your mouth from the cold on newly whitened, sensitive teeth.

Maintaining the Shine:

Once your teeth have been whitened, you can maintain that shine by going through routine dental checkups, which for most people is every 6 months, and maybe more often if you have a reason to be going more often. Ensuring you have a toothbrush with you on the go so you are brushing your teeth 2-3x a day in the summer as you enjoy extra junk food can also keep your teeth from becoming somewhat discolored again.

If you don’t have a toothbrush, simply rinsing with water is better than nothing! You can also try using whitening pens or trays along with the whitening toothpaste to help touch up discolored spots on your teeth during the summer to help provide your whitest smile possible! Summer is, after all, the perfect time to pursue whiter smiles as you can use both in-office and at-home treatments to reveal a whiter smile to ensure you are shining your brightest.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us visit us here or call us 909-465-1016. The Ramona Dentistry Team “Where Family Comes First”

Convenience is really the key for many people actually getting to the dentist, although any time of the year really works to see the dentist, many times the summer is a convenient time for people to make some extra time to get to the office and get those appointments in. Studies show we smile more in the summertime, so seeing the dentist then should be even more of a priority to keep the smile in tip-top shape. This makes summer an even more important time to go visit your dentist for your 6-month appointment.

Here are 3 reasons many people cite for going to the dentist in the summer of all the times of the year:

1. Convenience: The kids are out of school, and there’s no worry about getting everyone out of school in time to make that mid-afternoon appointment. Any time of day works to go see the dentist when everyone has a “free day” to go do so. This also beats the pre-school rush of August/September meaning more open appointments and more choices of when it’s convenient for you to go to the dentist on your own time. Besides, going before the beginning of July means you are getting the first treatment of the calendar year and can get one more to maximize the benefits of the dental insurance your family pays for.
2. Accomplishment: It’s a clean, refreshed feeling after your teeth are clean and you get to sit back and enjoy a nice cold drink… doing it with clean teeth feels all the better. Accomplishments of the school year, work year, and other life challenges are behind you so you can relax and enjoy the warm weather. Do so with clean teeth, and feel even better knowing you have accomplished prioritizing your health as well!
3. Coolness: It’s really too hot to do a lot outside for a large majority of the summer, so why not go cool down in the AC at the dentists during the hottest days of summer, and make sure your oral health is in order while you are at it?

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us visit us here or call us 909-465-1016. The Ramona Dentistry Team “Where Family Comes First”