Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Smiling Makes You Look Younger

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Smiling or laughing seems to make us look younger to others - what exciting news and no Botox required!. A study published in Psychology and Aging showed that when people looked at pictures of happy faces they guessed a lower age of the person in the photo than in pictures of the same person with an angry or neutral expression on their face.

Dr. Manuel C. Voelkle of the Max Planck Institute stated "In particular, with the rise of private- or business-related social networks like Facebook, flickr, LinkedIn and many others, it has become common practice to share pictures, often without additional background information." Researchers say that smiling has been shown to make people look more attractive, which may make them appear younger.

This research gives us another reason to smile all day long... unless you are unhappy with the appearance of your smile.Cosmetic dentistry can change your dingy, crooked choppers and give you the beautiful smile you've dreamed of. Perhaps your teeth have become yellowed or stained over time then a whitening procedure can restore your teeth to their youthful shade. The appearance of crooked teeth can be changed instantly using cosmetic dental techniques including dental veneers.

You might be surprised how quickly and easily your frown can be turned upside-down by visiting a cosmetic dentist. Please contact us today at 561-394-9000 today to schedule your cosmetic dentistry consultation.

Labels: cosmetic dentistry, dental veneers

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Can Sleep Apnea Be Helped By Mediterranean Diet?

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Eating a Mediterranean diet and exercising can improve some sleep apnea symptoms according to researchers. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil. The study published in European Respiratory Journal looked at the impact of the Mediterranean diet on obese sleep apnea patients as compared to patients on a weight loss diet.

Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep breathing disorders and becomes more prevalent as weight increases. Approximately 20-40% of obese patients suffer from obstructive sleep apnea and weight loss is an essential part of the treatment. Obstructive sleep apnea causes frequent stoppages of breathing during sleep. Sleep is fragmented causing excessive daytime drowsiness and other health complications.

Researchers in Greece studied 40 obese sleep apnea patients. 20 were placed on the Mediterranean diet and the other 20 were given a prudent weight-loss diet. Both groups were encouraged to walk at least 30 minutes each day. Both groups also received CPAP therapy.

The results showed that the group following the Mediterranean diet had a reduced number of apnoeas during REM stage sleep and were more likely to adhere to the lower calorie diet. While the study showed an improvement for this one stage of sleep it did not show an overall improvement in the severity of the condition. The authors feel that further studies with more patients are needed.

If you experience daytime sleepiness, weight gain and have been told you snore loudly you may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. For more information about this disorder, diagnosis and treatment in the Palm Beach or Broward County areas please contact Boca Raton Dental Sleep Medicine at 561-394-9000.

Labels: obstructive sleep apnea

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Supplements Appear to Boost Gum Health

Saturday, November 12, 2011

A study reported in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology showed that taking a daily dose of a capsule containing fruit and vegetable juice powder concentrate (phytonutrients) improved the outcomes for patients with chronic gum disease in the two months following non-surgical gum disease therapy. Even more benefits were seen at five and eight months following the periodontal therapy.

This was a preliminary study but it appears to show that the patients who took the supplements had significant improvements when compared to those who had the standard periodontal therapy and were given a placebo. "We were surprised to see these outcomes because when the standard therapy works so well, it creates a 'ceiling effect' whereby it is difficult to improve further," stated researcher Iain Chapple. "It is difficult to assess the size of the additional clinical benefit because these patients were well-nourished and had the highest quality standard therapy anyhow. We are very interested in what the effects will be in people who are nutritionally depleted, and in those who do not or cannot access high quality periodontal care."

Good nutrition is important for all the parts of our bodies and this early research on supplements is interesting. To keep your gums in tip top shape you need to remember daily flossing, brushing after meals and visiting your dental hygienist regularly. Periodontal disease can cause extensive damage to your smile and result in extensive tooth loss sometimes requiring full-mouth rejuvenation.

If it has been a while since your last hygiene appointment please contact our Boca Raton, FL office today at 561-394-9000.

Labels: gum disease, Juice Plus, supplements

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Mental Illness Treatment Should Include Sleep Apnea Screening

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

An article in the Palm Beach Post today stated that 11% of Americans older than 12 take an antidepressant. These drugs are prescribed for reasons other than mental health issues but that is still an astounding number. The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can sometimes mimic those of mental illness - lethargy, irritability, forgetfulness. When those suffering from depression or another form of mental illness also have obstructive sleep apnea it can make the mental illness worse and possibly contribute to manic episodes. Unfortunately, screening for sleep disorders in psychiatric patients is rarely done.

A new study from the University of Utah suggests that using a simple questionnaire to screen patients may be helpful. "Sleep problems are so integral to psychiatric problems, we wanted to make sure that along with psychiatric disorders we were treating obstructive sleep apnea too," said Dr. Vanita Jain. Because many medications used in treating psychiatric conditions are also respiratory depressants it is especially important for these patients to be screened.

The questions asked included: Do you snore loudly? Do you often feel tired, fatigued or sleepy during the day? Has anyone observed you stop breathing during your sleep? Do you have high blood pressure? Are you over 50 years of age? Are you male? Other questions include a large neck circumference and high body mass index (BMI).

If you answer yes to several of these questions you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or another sleep breathing disorder. To schedule your consultation please contact Boca Raton Dental Sleep Medicine today at 561-394-9000. We will discuss testing for a correct diagnosis, treatment options available and medical insurance coverage..

Labels: depression, obstructive sleep apnea

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Atrial Fibrillation Risk High in Sleep Apnea

Friday, November 04, 2011

Sleep apnea has been shown to increase the risk of heart arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation (afib)for patients who suffer from the disorder. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that the risk of having an abnormal heartbeat were 18 times higher immediately after an apnea episode compared to during normal sleep breathing.

The apnea did not have to be severe to raise the risk of afib. "Our focus was on individuals with mild to moderate apnea since it is those people we could compare periods of sleep where there were no apneas to periods where apneas occurred," said coauthor Dr. Susan Redline of Case Western Reserve University. This work "underscores the tight link between heart disease and sleep apnea dn the need to further evaluate the impact of sleep apnea treatment on reducing heart disease burden."

Sleep apnea treatment is vital for maintaining a healthy heart. The gold standard for treating the disease is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), however studies show that about half of patients discontinue CPAP within one year and those that do continue average only about 3 hours per night. Another treatment that has been declared effective by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine is oral appliance therapy available from a dentist who is trained in dental sleep medicine. An oral appliance is a small mouthpiece that is worn while sleeping and it works by gently placing your lower jaw in a position that keeps the airway open during sleep. No more blocked airway - no more apnea events.

To find out more about oral appliance therapy to treat your sleep apnea please contact our Boca Raton office at 561-394-9000 today to schedule your appointment.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Crowded Teeth Due to Shrinking Jaw Size

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

The size of our jaws decrease with age causing crowded teeth in older adults according to a new study from Sweden.. The research began in 1949 when plaster molds of the jaws of dental students were made, ten years later this was repeated. Molds were again created forty years after the first round and "We found that over these forty years there was less and less room for teeth in the jaw" said researcher Lars Bondemark.

The crowded teeth come from the shrinking of the jaw, mainly the lower jaw, and although it is a small amount it is enough to crowd the front teeth. Why the jaw changes throughout life is not known but the amount of change may be related to heredity and the health of the patients bite.
These finding reflect what I hear from my patients. From middle age onward, patients complain about their teeth looking crowded or that their smile doesn't look "the same". Fortunately the crowded appearance can be corrected and you don't have to visit an orthodontist for a full set of metal braces.

Cosmetic dentistry gives an alternative for those seeking instant gratification and a beautiful smile. Using dental veneers and/or crowns the crowded appearance of your teeth can be changed in just a couple of visits. Dental veneers can also give you a brighter, whiter smile and change the appearance of misshapen teeth removing years from your appearance.

For more information about your options for changing a crowded smile please contact the office of Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell, DMD in Boca Raton, FL today at 561-394-9000. We'll be glad to give you all your options for creating the beautiful smile you've always dreamed of.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.