Snoring can be Annoying ... It also could be a sign of Sleep Apnea.

I don’t snore! Or so you may think. Chances are that if someone has told you that you are snoring, they are probably right. Statistically, almost 50% of us snore sometimes and 1/3 of us snore consistently. Those are big numbers and this affects millions of Americans each year. While snoring can be an annoying habit that can make it hard for loved ones to sleep near you, it also can be a sign of a more serious condition. 

Sleep apnea is defined by webmd.com as "a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may not get enough oxygen.”

Sleep apnea is a very serious condition and it is one that many people blow off and do not take seriously. Some signs that you might be suffering from sleep apnea are: 

• you are feel consistently tired, even after a ‘full night’s sleep’
• you wake up frequently during the night
• you snore heavily and never feel that you sleep well
• you are groggy during the day and have trouble being productive. 

The best thing to do if you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea is to have a sleep study done. This allows medical professionals to determine if you do have sleep apnea, what type you have and how best to treat you.

One of the most common treatments of sleep apnea is a CPAP mask. This mask continually blows air through your airway to ensure that you don’t stop breathing. The downside to this treatment is that it is big, bulky and can make noise while you sleep. In addition, for some people who toss and turn, it doesn’t stay on their face while they sleep. While this treatment is still the most recommended treatment from people suffering from sleep apnea, there is also a dental appliance which many people can benefit from. 

This dental appliance is just that: an appliance that goes in your mouth. It is usually recommended for those patients who the CPAP doesn't work for, or for those with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Many patients find much relief from this appliance and it drastically improves their quality of life. Increased productivity, healthier eating and an improved mood have all been reported by people who are successfully treating their sleep apnea. 

If you think you, or a loved one, are suffering from sleep apnea, or if you have a severe case of snoring, contact your doctor or dentist and talk about how you could treat it. There are dental appliances that can help with both!

My gums are bleeding. Is that normal?

This is a common question we get from our patients because, unfortunately, it is a common occurrence. However, the answer to the question is …  no, bleeding gums are not normal. The reality is that about 50% of us suffer from periodontal, or gum, disease. If left untreated, advanced gum disease, or periodontitis, can lead to loss of gum tissue and loss of jaw bone. This can lead to loose teeth or tooth loss. These are the reasons why we take bleeding gums so seriously! 

Gum disease is progressive and treatable, so the earlier you catch it and start treatment, the better. The early stage of gum disease, called gingivitis, is marked by red, swollen gums and occasional bleeding when flossing or brushing. If you notice your gums bleeding, you should call your dentist and schedule an exam. Here at Grand Avenue Dental Care, we perform periodontal exams once a year for our patients. This is where we measure 6 different areas of the gum around each tooth to see how healthy your gums are. For a video that shows and demonstrates the periodontal exam, visit mouthhealthy.org.

What can you do to prevent gum disease?

Taking care of your mouth and gums is actually a pretty easy thing to do. And, even if in the past you haven’t done a good job of it, you can start now! Here are some things you can do:

1. Brush for two minutes, two times a day
2. Floss once a day
3. See your dentist at least twice a year
4. Tell your dentist or hygienist about any abnormality or pain with your teeth or gums
5. Ask if there are any products than can help you at home

One product that we recommend to patients who are at risk or in early stages of periodontal disease is paradontax. Sometimes a simple thing like switching your at-home product can make a big difference! Remember- whenever you switch a product, be sure to read all instructions and directions for it, and use it appropriately. That will allow it to have the most beneficial impact on your dental health. 

If you are concerned that you might be in early stages of periodontal disease or if you know that you are suffering but you have been putting off getting treatment, we urge you to make an appointment with your dentist. If you are here in southeastern Wisconsin, feel free to call us and we’d be happy to see you!

Take the first step towards a healthy mouth - see your dentist -  your smile will thank you!

Teeth Whitening - It’s Everywhere!

These days it seems we can find the words “teeth whitening” on nearly every product in the dental aisle. The truth is that, as a country, we spend $1.5 billion annually on teeth whitening products! That is a lot of money and the results will vary greatly based on what the product is and where you got it from. One of the biggest questions we get is: What is the difference between over-the-counter teeth whitening products compared to what we can provide you in the dental office?

Well, we’ve put together a list for you!

Over-The-Counter Whitening Projects:

• Treat extrinsic stains (on the surface of your teeth)
• Use hydrogen peroxide to help whiten
• Have limited amounts of active ingredients they can use 
• Use a one-size-fits-all mentality, where the size of the trays and the percentage of whitening agents are the same for everyone

In-Office Teeth Whitening Options:

• Treat intrinsic stains that go deeper than the surface of your teeth
• Use several active ingredients (including hydrogen peroxide) to whiten your teeth
• Have a much higher percentage of active ingredients for quicker, more noticeable results
• Can be customized for each individual patient. We make trays for each person and will recommend a whitening product and percentage that we think is best for you!

Here at Grand Avenue Dental Care, we recommend that you speak to your dentist or hygienist about which whitening product would be best for you and your lifestyle. In our office, we offer both in-office whitening and take-home whitening options, both of which can be very effective. Our ‘Whitening For Life' program allows our patients to spend just $99.00 to get custom made trays to take home and use with a high percentage whitening solution. As long as you keep up with your regular dental appointments (every 6 months), we continue to give you additional whitening solution to use with your trays! 

Using a whitening toothpaste at home will still help in removing external stains from your teeth, but if you want to really jump start your whitening, we recommend you speak to your dental professional to get the best options for you!

How to Get our Kids to Be Better Brushers!

It is a constant challenge to keep kids interested and motivated to do the things that we want them to do: making their beds, doing their homework and getting out the door on time are all things that fall under this category. While we don’t have quick-fixes for all of these challenges, here at Grand Avenue Dental Care, we do have a couple of tips to help you motivate your kids to brush their teeth consistently.

The first way to try to get your kids to do anything, is to be a good example of that activity. That is no different when it come to brushing your teeth. If you are a good example of healthy oral hygiene habits, your kids will see that and be more likely to want to do the same thing! So, be sure YOU are brushing for two minutes, two times a day and flossing once a day! 

Another way to encourage your kids is to make brushing FUN! Getting them engaged in the activity, especially at a young age, can be instrumental in creating positive, lifelong habits. With technology so readily available today, there are quite a few apps that you can download to your phone, iPad or tablet, that were created JUST for this situation. A couple of our favorite tooth brushing apps are the Disney Magic Timer and the Brusheez app! They are both kid-approved but there are many more where they came from! See what works best for your child. Some kids really like the tangible, flip-over, 2 minute timer or they might prefer 2 minutes of dancing, while brushing, to their favorite song. Find out what works best for them, and if they loses their initial excitement, try something new!

Fun is always good, but so are rewards and positive reinforcement. Regardless of how you motivate your child to be a better, more consistent brusher, be sure to take notice! Just complementing how well they are doing is wonderful, but it might also be nice to set up a reward program if they do it well. We’ve created the below Brushing Calendar to help with just that. Feel free to print it out and encourage your child to color each half of the day (morning and night) as they brush. They can use their favorite color, green and gold for their favorite team or even stickers in each section. If they fill out the entire calendar for one month, you can arrange a special reward for them. Or, if they bring it in to Grand Avenue Dental Care, with their parents signature- we will give them a special treat. 

Remember, as soon as your child gets their first tooth, you should start brushing. You should also schedule them for their first dental visit once they have that first tooth, or by the time they are one year old. The earlier good brushing habits are formed, the better kids are at taking care of their teeth and the less cavities they will experience. We hope these few tips help you to build better brushing habits with your kids! Their bed might still be un-made, but at least their smile will sparkle! 

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Keep on Sharing Smiles- Tips on How to Maintain Your Smile!

In February we focused a lot on how to take care of your teeth when we did our school visits to celebrate Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month. The truth is, being able to maintain our smile and care for our teeth at home is just as important for adults as it is for kids. And, it’s not too difficult to do!

1. Be sure your home care is off to a good start! Brush your teeth for 2 minutes, 2 times a day, every day! Removing the build-up from the day is hugely important in keeping the enamel of your teeth strong and your teeth healthy.  In addition to brushing twice a day (morning and night), floss your teeth once a day. A good amount of your total tooth structure exists between your teeth and, without flossing, you will never be able to remove the daily debris. Use your favorite floss or water flosser once a day and you will be showing some love to your teeth!
2. Be sure to see your dentist regularly for your regular check-ups! Just as you brush your teeth TWO times per day, you should visit your dentist TWO times per year. Many people like to wait until they are in pain or have a broken tooth. If you wait until you have pain, you usually have a large amount of decay that has caused it. It is best to see your dentist on a set schedule, so that if there is any decay, we catch it early, and while it is still small and easy to remove. You should also know that if you have any form of periodontal (gum) disease, your dentist may want you to come in more frequently until there is improvement in your gum health. 
3. Watch what you eat and drink! While genetics does play a role in how healthy our teeth are, it is more likely that what you eat and drink more greatly affects your teeth. For instance, drinks like soda, sports drinks, juice, coffee and tea are all acidic and they make your teeth more likely to get decay. It is hugely important that the main drink that you sip on all day is water, and that after you do have a coffee or other acidic drink, you rinse with water. Alternatively, snacks like cheese are the opposite of acidic and can make your mouth less susceptible to decay. So, adding cheese to your crackers could be benefit for your teeth. Here are some “go-to” snacks and some “sometimes” snacks that you should be aware of. Eat from the blue colume frequently and the other columns, well, just sometimes. 

This snack guide is courtesy of TheDentistDad.com. Remember to eat LOTS from the blue column and only sometimes from the other two columns!

Remember- your mouth plays a big role in your overall health and taking care of your smile is a great step in taking care of YOU!