Orofacial pain

The treatment of chronic pain of the head and neck is a difficult diagnostic puzzle. In an acute injury, the pain is at the site of origin, in a chronic condition however, the brain and body have instigated a variety of compensatory mechanisms that may drastically alter the degree and location of symptoms.

Diagnostic postural balance tests are used to prioritise treatment and identify the origin of the presenting systems, which may involve: muscle pain of the head, neck or back; dizziness or vertigo; migraine; pain in the arms, hands or shoulders; sleep deprivation; swallowing difficulty; and many other symptoms. Treatment involves jaw joint stabilisation using removable pivots or splints and mandibular postural appliances to correct any structural injuries. Referral to other medical and allied health practitioners is required if systems persist for treatment of biochemical, physiological, hormonal or respiratory disorders.

Following jaw joint stabilisation, pain relief and a full range of jaw movements, restorative dentistry is undertaken (if required). This involves protecting compromised heavily restored teeth, improving aesthetics, reconstructing the correct intermeshing of teeth using restorative techniques (crown, bridges, implants or only) orthodontics, orthognathic surgery or cosmetic dentistry,

Do you suffer from Head/Neck pain? Regular headaches? Jaw ache?
Find out how we can help!

www.woollahradental.com 

A Mental Headache

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction and muscle disorders, often known as TMJ or TMD, can be not only a real physical pain but a psychological pain as well. When the muscles and nerves of the TM joint are injured; inflammation, headaches, blurred vision, jaw tightness, ear pain, ringing in the ear, facial swelling, shoulder/neck stiffness and even depression can occur.  According to the TMJ Association, approximately 12% of the population is affected by TMD.  A research article by The School of Psychology and Life Sciences concluded that, “depression is particularly common among TMD patients” and pain symptoms associated with TMD can be treated with occlusal appliances or dental splint.

The TM joint is where the bones of your skull connect to your jaw located just in front of your ear. Injury to the TM joint can occur directly through experiencing physical trauma or occur over time such as:

• Experiencing excessive stress or anxiety 
• Teeth grinding/clenching
• Poor posture
• Misalignment of teeth position
• Genetics
• Poor Orthodontic treatment 
• Ill-fitting dentures
• Excessive gum chewing
• Arthritis 

When people experience chronic pain, such as that experienced from TMD/TMJ depression becomes prevalent. According to WebMd, “depression can magnify pain and make it harder to cope”, which make it a vicious cycle if left untreated. TMD patients have said that the pain they feel stops them from doing daily activities, socialising with friends, going out to eat, talking on the phone and it disrupts their sleeping so they are always tired and have clouded thoughts.

Pain brings people to their GP first for immediate relief through medication.  However, there are other options for long term relief such as a visit to see Dr Tony Ancell of Woollahra Dental Practice.  His practice takes a holistic approach and can help treat TMD/TMJ through orthodontics, bite reconstruction, creating an occlusal appliances or dental splint.

If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain from the TM joint call today 02 9363 5690 to seek treatment that is life changing.

www.woollahradental.com

Sweet Destruction

‘Our “sweet tooth” has been the basis of one of the most long standing controversial topics in the health and food industries. The food industry believes and markets refined sugar to be a food that is harmless and “natural”. Whereas doctors and nutritionists in the health industry have been conducting studies and releasing research that is proving that refined sugar is actually a “poison”!

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines poison as, “A substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism.” In 1957 Dr. William Coda Martin concluded that refined sugar is a poison. He stated, “The refinement process, creates a product our bodies can’t use, because we can’t digest it. It is more of a pharmaceutical drug than it is a nurturing food.”

In the early 1900’s the average consumption of sugar per year was 6-9kg. It’s scary to say that now the sugar consumption is closer to our weight in sugar each year as it has been made readily available and put into almost every packaged food on the grocery store shelfs. Sugar has become a habit in the majority of our daily lives and for many people, it has also become an addiction. At a neurobiological level of addition a study titled, Sugar addiction: pushing the drug-sugar analogy to the limit, showed sugar to be more robust than those of cocaine.

Over consumption of refined sugar causes the body to become more acidic. Excess sugar get stored as glycogen in the liver and causes it to swell.  From the liver the refined sugar re-enters our blood stream as a fatty acid which inevitability get stored around the belly, thighs and bum. Unfortunately, when these areas no longer have room to store the refined sugar it end up in our vital organs such as the kidneys, pancreas and heart.

This leads to serious health issues:
• Increased Risk of Diabetes
• Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
• Increased Risk of Stroke
• High Blood Pressure
• Poor Digestion- IBS, Intolerances, Constipation, Bloating
• Ineffective Immune System
• Gallstones
• Tooth Decay/Loss of Teeth
• Short Term Memory Loss

As we take a holistic approach to dentistry here at Woollahra Dental Practice, we urge you to become more mindful of your food choices and take note of the sugar content they contain. Reading food labels can be difficult a quick way to find out really how much sugar is in a product is to take the number of grams per serve and divide that number 4. This will tell you how many teaspoons of sugar are in your food as 1gram equals 4.2 teaspoons.

Contact us today 

Woollahra Dental Practice

27 Queen Street

Woollahra NSW 2025

Phone: 02 9363 5690

admin@woollahradental.com

Your Oral Health = Your Overall Health

Sounds surprising, but it is true! Your oral health reflects details of your current overall health. Your oral health also could be a contributing problem to your overall health. This is why Dr Tony Ancell and his team at Woollahra Dental Practice have a holistic view. They look beyond just your teeth and gums to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Did you know that a reduction in salvia flow occurs when you are taking certain medications? Often it is taking antihistamines, diuretics, painkillers or decongestants that are to blame. When we produce less saliva we are not able to protect our teeth from an overgrowth of bacteria. Saliva is a very powerful tool in our oral health system as it neutralizes acids and helps wash food away. 

Did you know that what you eat and drink, such as sugar (not just sweets but fruits and breads too) can play a harmful role in the formation of tooth decay? Did you know that by having red or inflamed gums you are putting your overall health at risk? It halts your immune system.

When our oral health defence system is down, oral bacteria, plaque and biofilms start to reek havoc on our systemic health.  Systemic is defined in The American Heritage Medical Dictionary as; “of, relating to, or affecting the entire body or an entire organism especially the nervous system”.  Numerous amounts of research has shown that your oral health might be affected by, or contribute to various systemic diseases and conditions.

Conditions/Diseases	Oral Health Affected/Contributed
Cardiovascular disease	Twice as likely to suffer a heart attack if you have periodontal disease.
Diabetes	The immune system is compromised and infections such as gum disease occur. Gum disease has been linked to disrupting the ability to control blood sugar levels.
Endocarditis	When bacteria from another part of the body enters the bloodstream, such as from periodontal disease, risk is increased.
Alzheimer’s disease	The American Psychological Association research showed tooth loss before the age of 35 (often due to  periodontal disease) puts you at a higher risk of experiencing  Alzheimer’s
Stroke	Research published in Clinical Advisor has shown the oral bacteria makes a person more susceptible to developing blood clots.
Osteoporosis	Has been linked with periodontal bone loss.
HIV/AIDS	According to WebMd oral mucosal lesions are often present.
Premature birth/low birth weight	Data gathered by the Australian Dental Association on mothers with periodontitis showed an increase risk of premature birth/low birth weight than mothers who had good oral health.
Sjogren’s syndrome	An immune system disorder that causes dry mouth.

Acid Reflux and Sleep Apnoea Go Hand in Hand!

 There have been numerous studies and data collected on people who experience acid reflux. The medical term for acid reflux that occurs frequently is called gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In a study of sixty million Americans who were diagnosed with GERD, 80% of them reported their symptoms were worse at night, according to WebMD.

The College of Gastroenterology is always searching for reasons to discover why there is such a strong correlation between sleep apnoea and acid reflux. Turns out, according to gastroenterologist Ken DeVault, MD of the Mayo Clinic, “with sleep apnoea, people tend to breathe harder because their breathing has stopped, and that could induce reflux to flow into the oesophagus”.1  In other studies by physicians, night-time reflux  was discovered as often being a primary cause of sleep disruption.

 
If you suffer from both problems, there is good news. There are treatment options that the team at Woollahra Dental Practice can help you with because they have a holistic approach.
Dr Tony Ancell has a special interest in Dental Sleep Medicine and can provide you with an at home sleep study and a sleep appliance, such as an Airway Ease dental appliance, to help you manage your sleep apnoea. Managing your sleep apnoea may be a solution to reducing/eliminating your night-time acid reflux as well. At required times referral to respiratory sleep physician can be made to our allied network of health practitioners.

Give Woollahra Dental Practice a call today 02 9363 5690, to book your initial consultation to improve your oral health and your overall health. Learn how it is possible to have a restful night’s sleep again.

Figure 1: Stomach acid travels up the oesophagus causing sleep disruption, especially when the airway is already narrow, making night-time breathing difficult. 

Attack by Acid!

There is a cause of permanent and severe loss of tooth structure you need to know about. The culprit: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) also known as “heart burn” (1).

The name alone sounds threating, which it is. Even scarier than the name, is the fact that it is a common condition that occurs when stomach acids travel upward into the esophagus, which leads to acid reflux-induced erosion of your teeth!

According to the National Science Foundation, acid in the stomach is extremely low (meaning highly acidic), having a pH level ranging from of 1.0-3.0.

The Australian Dental Association states tooth enamel becomes soft and can be easily damaged when the pH level in your mouth drops below 5.5.

Our teeth are constantly being exposed to food and beverages with a low pH level (2) that put our enamel at risk of erosion.


Every time we enjoy a sports drink, fruit juice, or caffeinated beverage the pH level in our mouth drops dramatically. Ironically, it’s those same beverages that often prompt acid reflux to occur.  WebMD states, fatty foods, dairy, citric fruits, tomatoes, alcohol and even chocolate are the biggest triggers of reflux.

When you experience acid reflux, your teeth are at higher risk of chemical erosion occurring. Over time the root surfaces of your teeth can become exposed. If left untreated the tooth  
structure itself becomes compromised and could require complex dental treatment such as veneers, crowns, fillings or potentially a root canal treatment.

Luckily, the team at Woollahra Dental Practice can help detect early signs of acid reflux-induced erosion during your regularly six monthly hygiene appointments. Taking pro-active measures for the wellbeing of your teeth is vital to the longevity of your smile. At your appointment you will be given valuable information on what you can do at home in between visits to keep your enamel strong.    

Chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease, influences prognosis and the severity of heart attacks

Woollahra Dental would like to share a journal from the University of Granada about chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease, influences prognosis and the severity of heart attacks.

The researchers from the University of Granada have demonstrated for the first time that chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease which provokes gradual teeth loss, is closely related to the severity of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attack.

In a pioneering research, published in the Journal of Dental Research, and titled "Acute myocardial infarct size is related to periodontitis extent and severity," this team has demonstrated that the extent and severity of chronic periodontitis is related to the size of acute myocardial infarction through seric levels of troponin I and myoglobin (biomarkers of myocardial necrosis).

This research results in part from the conclusions of Rafael Martín Marfil Álvarez's doctoral dissertation, which was directed by UGR professors Francisco Mesa Aguado (Stomatology Department), José Antonio Ramírez Hernández (Medicine Department), and Andrés Catena Martínez (Experimental Psychology Department). This research analysed 112 patients who had suffered from acute myocardial infarction, at the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital Cardiology Unit. They all underwent a series of cardiological, biochemical and periodontal health checks and tests.

According to professor Francisco Aguado, one of the authors of this research (which will have to be confirmed through further research), "chronic periodontitis appears as a death risk factor and it plays an important role in the prognosis of acute myocardial infarction."

Researchers point out that it will be necessary to conduct follow-up checks with periodontal patients who have suffered myocardial infarction in order to determine the severity (or lack of it) of their clinical evolution (new coronary events, cardiac failure, or even death).

"If that happens to be the case, chronic periodontitis should be considered as a predictor in the development of myocardial infarction, and be therefore included in the risk stratification scores," according to Mesa Aguado.

For more information about how to prevent gum diasease make an appointment today 02 9363 5690.
Woollahra Dental 27 Queen Street - Woollahra NSW 2025


Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by University of Granada. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
_______________________________________
Journal Reference:
R. Marfil-Alvarez, F. Mesa, A. Arrebola-Moreno, J. A. Ramirez-Hernandez, A. Magan-Fernandez, F. O'Valle, P. Galindo-Moreno, A. Catena. Acute Myocardial Infarct Size Is Related to Periodontitis Extent and Severity. Journal of Dental Research, 2014; 93 (10): 993 DOI: 10.1177/0022034514548223

Your Secret to Keeping a Great Smile

In our website, we have described the procedures for Preventative care.
Preventative care is vitally important for overall dental health. Maintaining a thorough oral health routine will keep your smile fresh, your teeth and gums healthy, and is important for looking after your overall well-being.

Gum disease can begin for no apparent reason and can remain unnoticed for a considerable amount of time. Occasional bleeding during home care or sore gums may be only symptoms you get of gum disease that can lead to receding gums and loose teeth. Recent research has shown links between gum disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and premature births. Uncontrolled gum disease can also destabilise treatment for diabetes. Healthy gums help to maintain a balance in all these medical conditions.

Have you visited a Dental Hygienist before? The mission for our Dental Hygienists is to deliver tailored preventative dental care to our patients in a gentle and caring way, to help our patients maintain the health of their gums, strengthen their teeth and keep their smiles looking beautiful.


Dental Hygienists perform:

• Cleaning and scaling teeth to remove all plaque and calculus (tartar)
• Removal of surface stains from the teeth
• Apply pit and fissure sealants to help prevent decay
• Saliva testing to assess your risk of gum disease and decay
• Help monitor the strength of your teeth
• Whiten and brighten your teeth with in-surgery teeth whitening
• Help prevent dental Injuries using mouth guards
• Instruction in tooth brushing and flossing
• Counselling in proper nutrition
• Presentation of prescribed dental treatment
• Recommending future treatment (orthodontics, periodontal therapy, etc) in consultation with your dentist.

Oral Health care

A Dental Hygienist visit is routinely performed every six months depending on the patient’s requirements and is usually between 45 minutes and 60 minutes. The process is very gentle and comfortable and your dental hygienist will recommend a suitable timeframe to keep your gum in healthy state.

"Frequent Dental Hygiene visits are the best way to maintain the health of your teeth and gums and prevent the need for complex dental procedures"


Fissure sealant

Fissure Sealants are the best non-invasive preventive measure against dental decay on the biting surfaces of the teeth where decay is common.
The grooves on the biting surfaces of most molar teeth are too deep and too narrow to be completely cleaned with a toothbrush.

Fissure sealing is a preventive procedure that involves the placement of dental resin or glass ionomer cement in these deep grooves to prevent the accumulation of food and decay-causing bacteria.

Fissure sealants are great in that they require no drilling, are painless, and are less expensive than fillings.

at Woollahra Dental we usually recommend them in younger patients at risk of tooth decay.

Contact us for more information and to find out how we can help you keeping a Great Smile!

Teach me how to brushy... and more

At Woollahra Dental we have been looking for videos and ideas to get children (and even some adults) to brush their teeth. We also have a guide on how to brush.

Study: 'Fat tongue' may be a factor in sleep apnea

at Woollahra Dental - we would like to share a very interesting article from Health Day about Sleep apnea and a disorder called "fat" tongue:

Sleep apnea is a potential health risk for millions of Americans, and a new study points to a possible culprit behind the disorder: a "fat" tongue.

"This is the first study to show that fat deposits are increased in the tongue of obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea," study senior author Dr. Richard Schwab, co-director of the Sleep Center at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, said in a news release from Sleep, which will publish the findings Oct. 1.

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which the airways constrict during sleep, leading to repeated stops and starts in breathing. The telltale signs include chronic loud snoring, with periodic gasps or choking -- and, for many people, daytime drowsiness because of poor sleep.

But the effects go beyond fatigue. Studies suggest those pauses in breathing stress the nervous system, boosting blood pressure and inflammation in the arteries.

Obese people tend to be at higher risk for sleep apnea, and Schwab's team say the new findings may help explain the link between obesity and the breathing disorder.

The study included 90 obese adults with sleep apnea and 90 obese adults without the disorder.
The participants with sleep apnea had significantly larger tongues, tongue fat and percentage of tongue fat than those without sleep apnea, the researchers found. The tongue fat in the people with sleep apnea was concentrated at the base of the tongue.

In addition to increasing the size of the tongue, higher levels of tongue fat may prevent muscles that attach the tongue to bone from positioning the tongue away from the airway during sleep, Schwab's group explained.

While the study found an association between tongue fat content and sleep apnea, it could not prove cause and effect.

However, the researchers believe future studies should assess whether removing tongue fat through weight loss, upper airway exercises or surgery could help treat sleep apnea.

"Tongue size is one of the physical features that should be evaluated by a physician when screening obese patients to determine their risk for obstructive sleep apnea," American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler added in the news release.

"Effective identification and treatment of sleep apnea is essential to optimally manage other conditions associated with this chronic disease, including high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and depression," he said.

Nearly 35 percent of U.S. adults -- 78.6 million people -- are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Source: Robert Preidt, HealthDay -  October 2, 2014

Let's discuss your concerns today Woollahra Dental

New Year - Fresh Start!

At Woollahra Dental Practice, we strive to provide the best service of care for our patients and we appreciate being chosen by our patients to be part of their journey to better health. We understand that life gets busy sometimes and we always try to accommodate your needs as best as we can.

We would like to help you fulfill your New Year's Resolutions. Everything about looking your very best includes a healthy and beautiful smile!  ans we would like to offer our “appointment Request” service is an easy way to let us know about your preferred time to visit us.

If you would like to visit one of our Dentists or Hygienists at Woollahra Dental Practice, Please Simply fill in the appointment request form and one of our friendly staff will get back to you shortly to create an appointment time.

A Holistic Dental Practice in Woollahra

We are glad you are one of the people who take the initiative to invest in their health. We would like to welcome you to our community at Woollahra Dental Practice and thank you for letting us be a part of your journey. It is important to note that this is your journey and we are here to help you through it by guiding you in the right directions to the best of our ability.

From the moment you walk through our doors you will feel welcomed and relaxed. Our friendly staff will look after you with upmost care and make your visit a comfortable and memorable one.

We serve our patients with compassion, excellence and value. We understand that all our patients are individuals, each of whom has his or her own personal needs and concerns.

We encourage preventive techniques - helping you to understand how to maintain good oral hygiene and therefore preventing tooth decay and gum disease.

When treatment is required, we practice minimal intervention dentistry using research-based techniques and materials chosen on merit, not cost.

We are here to help our patients enjoy a lifetime of complete dental health.

Our Dentists attend regular courses on the latest techniques in cosmetic dentistry. They will work with you to create a natural smile that harmonizes with your facial aesthetics.

Our dedicated practitioners will ensure that your time spent with us is as comfortable, relaxed and as stress free as possible.

For more information about specific details for Initial appointments please visit the Woollahra Dental Website

Bite reconstruction

When teeth are lost or can’t be replaced, they start to wear down. Chipped and shortened teeth can compromise the face. These effects result in aging. Bite reconstruction or full mouth reconstruction is a dental treatment to improve patient's bite and the jaw position.

The dentist builds up or replaces the teeth to improve the appearance of the face and provide harmony between the jaw and bite. If you have worn, broken, decayed or missing teeth, or if you suffer from a bad bite and the appearance of the entire smile is letting you down, then arrange an appointment for one of our dentists to discuss your options.

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