Hello from all of us at Cataraqui Dental Centre! We wanted to take a moment to recognize our patients.
We are incredibly grateful for the wonderful patients who make our practice such a special place. We love the connections we make with our patients and their families, celebrating their milestones, sharing a few laughs and being part of their lives over the years. Our patients' trust, kindness, and loyalty mean so much to our entire team.
You find yourself drowsy and irritable all day. Or you have trouble sleeping, and when you do, you snore loudly throughout the night punctuated with silent pauses where you aren’t breathing at all. Or your loved ones tell you that you’ve been keeping them awake with your snoring or frightening them awake when you gasp for breath. Whatever symptom may have brought you to the doctor, you’ve been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, and now it’s time to get this sleep disorder under control.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat relaxes, partially blocking the airway, or structural problems in the mouth and throat (such as enlarged tonsils or tongue) obstruct air flow. The tissue around the air passage vibrates with every breath causing those annoying snoring sounds. More dangerous, an obstructed airway means that there is not enough oxygen getting into the lungs. The struggle to breathe wakes us, interrupting the deep sleep we need to function. Untreated, the results of sleep apnea can range from drowsiness and irritability to a greater risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Luckily, there are several approaches to combatting this form of sleep apnea, including life style changes, surgery or breathing machines, and orthodontic appliances.
Sleep apnea is more likely to affect those who are overweight, smoke, use alcohol, take certain medications, or sleep on their backs. If you can make changes in your lifestyle that will restore the quality of your sleep, this is a great first option.
Sometimes obstruction of the airway is caused by structural problems in the throat or mouth. Tissue can be reshaped or removed during surgery to widen and stabilize the breathing passage. Or you might be prescribed a machine such as a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, which blows pressurized air through a tube and mask to keep the airway open during sleep.
Dr. Cosman, Dr. McDonough, Dr. Levac and Dr. Korcok can also be an important resource if you struggle with obstructive sleep apnea. Many people suffering from this disorder prefer an oral appliance for its effectiveness, comfort, and convenience. One common oral sleep appliance is designed to support your lower jaw in a forward position. This jaw movement increases the open space of your airway as you sleep. Other appliances can prevent the tongue from blocking the airway and obstructing air flow. These appliances resemble mouthguards and retainers, and, like them, are custom made just for you. We will recommend the type of appliance best suited to your needs, and will take a model of your mouth and teeth so that a lab can craft an appliance that will be a perfect fit. We will adjust it for comfort if necessary, instruct you on its use and care, and schedule follow up treatment to make sure the appliance is treating your sleep apnea as efficiently as possible.
Whether you opt for a change of lifestyle habits, a CPAP machine, surgery, or an oral appliance, it is important that you treat this sleeping disorder. Left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can have many serious consequences. If you suspect you might have sleep apnea, talk to us during your next visit at our Kingston, ON office. You deserve a good—and healthy—night’s sleep.
Long days in the sun’s rays offer you lots of options for outdoor activities. Beach time? Vacation? Open-air concerts? Baseball, biking, board sports? No matter what plans you have for these sunny days in Kingston, ON, we have some tips to keep your smile beaming.
Use Sunscreen
Sunscreen is good for all ages and skin tones, and it’s also designed to protect your smile. Lip tissue is thin and delicate, and can easily be damaged by the ultraviolet rays which cause skin cancer and premature aging.
If your regular sunscreen isn’t suitable for your lips, there are many protective lip balms designed especially for your smile.
Protect Your Smile with a Mouthguard
Mouthguards help protect your teeth from damage caused by impact, whether from hard surfaces or hard elbows! Any time there’s a chance of a fall or a collision, a mouthguard is a good idea. Use your guard for:
If you play organized sports, you might already own a mouthguard. If not, talk to Dr. Cosman, Dr. McDonough, Dr. Levac and Dr. Korcok about over-the-counter options or a custom-fitted model. And if you wear braces, no need to stay indoors! There are mouthguards designed to protect your teeth, cheeks, lips, and braces. Ask the team at Cataraqui Dental Centre for recommendations.
Hydrate
On hot days, our brains help regulate our body temperature. How? By sending the signal to start sweating! Some heat is transferred from our bodies to evaporate perspiration, which helps cool the skin. But that cooling perspiration comes at a cost—the water we lose through sweat can lead to dehydration.
Water is essential for our health, and especially when it’s scorching outside. Drinking water throughout the day is healthier than drinking lots of water at one time, and your doctor can let you know the right amount of water for your body, since we’re not all built the same. A bottle of water doesn’t contain artificial ingredients, caffeine, or sugars, so it’s a great, healthy outdoor companion.
More? Water is also great for your smile!
It’s easy to get distracted with summer activities and vacations—after all, they’re designed to be distracting! But don’t let your well-deserved fun in the sun distract you from your regular dental care.
Regular dental exams catch small problems before they become larger ones, and cleanings make sure your smile is bright all summer long. If you’re overdue for a visit to Cataraqui Dental Centre, make room in your schedule for a checkup.
Summer can be a time to relax, renew, and recharge. While you’re enjoying those extra hours of sun, take care of your oral health for a beaming smile which will look great on you any time of year!
It’s estimated that about one in every five people is affected by tinnitus, which is a ringing or noise in the ears. But tinnitus isn’t a condition in itself; it’s actually the symptom of an underlying condition. Some of these underlying conditions could be hearing loss, injury to the ear, or some sort of circulatory disorder.
Another common cause if tinnitus is a dental injury or dental issue, whether it involves the jaw or the temporomandibular joint, better known as the TMJ. “Somatic tinnitus” is the term given to the version that is attributable to injuries to the head or neck area. Symptoms of somatic tinnitus may include noticeable fluctuations in sound volume, intermittency, headaches, memory loss or increased forgetfulness, and an increased likelihood of being depressed or sad.
Dr. Cosman, Dr. McDonough, Dr. Levac and Dr. Korcok will tell you tinnitus usually isn’t serious and is more common in older populations. For that reason, many people won’t even seek an answer to what’s causing it. But people can also experience more severe cases of tinnitus that can affect a person’s ability to complete everyday activities, which has a larger impact on their lives. For people facing these more severe cases of tinnitus, treatment may be necessary to increase their quality of life. It’s also worth noting that tinnitus seems to worsen with age, so while symptoms might not be a problem one year, they may be more significant and distracting the next.
If you have tinnitus that is caused by the misalignment of the TMJ or an injury to the mouth, that’s a condition that can be corrected by Dr. Cosman, Dr. McDonough, Dr. Levac and Dr. Korcok and our team at Cataraqui Dental Centre. We will work to relieve your symptoms by realigning the jaw or adjusting your bite with routine dental care. Sometimes we won’t even have to go this far, because an oral infection or gum infection may be causing your problem. We might also recommend other life changes, such as dietary adjustments and medication.
If you're experiencing tinnitus-like symptoms and have ruled out various other reasons for it, contact our Kingston, ON office today. Dr. Cosman, Dr. McDonough, Dr. Levac and Dr. Korcok and our team will carefully analyze your situation and put you on a treatment course so that you can kick the symptoms for good.
