Think about what you do before bedtime. There are actually some activities that can make it difficult for you to fall asleep, stay asleep or even get restful sleep. That is why it is important to take a look at your daily routines, right down to what you eat, drink, medications you take and how you spend your evenings. Sometimes the smallest adjustments can make the biggest impact on your sleep.  Keep a sleep diary First, try keeping a two-week sleep diary to better understand how your daily routines might be affecting your sleep. We often refer to this as sleep hygiene, which refers to a ..read more

If you have been diagnosed with craniofacial pain, the next step is getting treatment. With advanced treatment plans and solutions, you will be able to treat your craniofacial pain smoothly and efficiently. There are many treatment plans to choose from, so let’s look at the three most common techniques.  Medication With any disorder or pain, prescription medication can be a popular option. With craniofacial pain, taking the correct medicine is crucial. When prescribing a drug, all symptoms and pains are taken into account so you are given a drug that is right for your situation. It is imp ..read more

Our children suffer more than we might when it comes to sleep apnea. But why is that? It’s because children have smaller lungs, which means they have less oxygen in reserve. As a result, children take frequent, shallow breaths rather than slow, deep breaths. This then causes a child to have too much carbon dioxide in the blood.  Additionally, adults might have fragmented sleep where they briefly wake up after breathing stops. But it is different with children. When this occurs in children, they do not wake up in response to the pauses in breathing, but have a higher “arousal threshold” th ..read more

Have you ever experienced pain in your face or head? Craniofacial pain can occur for a variety of reasons. However, there are some causes and symptoms you can keep an eye out for. Let’s take a closer look at the symptoms and causes of craniofacial pain for a better understanding of what you may be experiencing. The symptoms of craniofacial pain Once you are aware of the causes of craniofacial pain, the symptoms can be easy to notice. If you are constantly noticing yourself clicking your teeth, experiencing jaw pain, or clenching your teeth together causing harsh headaches and migraines, you ma ..read more

A recent study found that oversleeping can be harmful for us. It can be even more harmful for older people. This is often called sleep affluence, and it is important to pay attention to. While too little sleep can also impact your health, it is important that you don’t sleep too much either. Let’s take a closer look at the impact of too much sleep on your health. It’s time to stop sleeping so much The truth is, it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and that can include sleep. In fact, anything over 7.5 hours a night might be considered sleeping too much. In a recent study that monit ..read more

When you are nonstop working, it can lead to a slump in creativity. To make matters worse, if you lose out on sleep, that can interrupt your days as well. That leaves us with the question, does sleep improve our creativity? It does! Let’s take a closer look at this connection between your sleep and your creativity.   Lack of sleep makes an impact For optimal creativity, you need a healthy body and mind. But, if you lose out on 17-19 hours of sleep, it can make you act as though your brain is under the influence of 0.5% alcohol. As a result, you will be 50% slower in overall performan ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that wearing a mask is important for stopping the spread of SARS-CoV-2. While wearing a mask helps to protect others, we have also learned that it might cause oral health complications. The daily long-term use of masks may cause some concerns for your dentist.  But before we dive into this subject a little further, we need to be clear that what we are about to discuss does not outweigh the importance of continuing to wear a mask when in public. Here is what can happen when you wear a mask for a long time and don’t take proper care of your oral health.&nb ..read more

Do you experience unexplained soreness in your neck and shoulders? Do you often experience throbbing headaches? Have chewing or speaking become painful? If so, you may be suffering from the painful effects of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder (TMD), which affects millions of Americans–especially women between the ages of 20 and 40.  The problem with TMD is that it is often overlooked during medical exams and can even be misdiagnosed. But a dentist can help you identify and treat the cause of your jaw pain. And with November being TMJ Awareness Month, we want to make sure you understa ..read more

Have you found that your jaw hurts or aches consistently? Do you ever experience popping or locking of your jaw? If so, you might be suffering from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder (TMD). Your TMJ controls the movements of your lower jaw and can cause various problems when it is not working correctly. And while both men and women are vulnerable to TMD, nine out of 10 people who seek treatment are female. Let’s take a closer look at why that is the case.  Women and TMD Of those who seek treatment for TMD, most are between the ages of 18 and 44. While we’re not quite sure why this is ..read more

Sleep apnea has a devastating effect on your body. It can also have a severe impact on your mental state. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you may also experience anxiety. If you do experience anxiety, you may also be more prone to panic attacks. To add to that, your anxiety can even make your sleep apnea worse. That is why it is important to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. What is sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects about 22 million Americans. When you suffer from sleep apnea, you will experience repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. This often occu ..read more