Avoid   Baldness

Dentists have said that some people are too willing to abdicate control over their teeth to their cosmetic dentist. Today, patients have more choices than ever when it comes to choosing a Toronto dentist; thus, they can afford to be selective and screen dentists carefully before beginning a cosmetic procedure. The following is a list of important questions to ask any dentist before engaging him or her for an Invisalign procedure:

Pros

• How long have you been certified to perform Invisalign?
• How many Invisalign procedures have you performed?
• Can I see before-and-after pictures of your Invisalign patients?
• Can you provide references for me to contact?
• What will my procedure entail?
• How long should my procedure take?
• What are the risks of Invisalign for me?
• What if I’m not happy with the results?
• Do you offer a warranty or guarantee?
• Do you offer flexible payment plans?
• What related procedures can you recommend? Would porcelain veneers, for example, be a better choice for me? Why or why not?

Above all, patients should use their intuitions to guide them through the screening process. If the dentist makes them feel uncomfortable or is aggressively trying to up sell Invisalign at the expense of the patient’s smile, it may be best to consult other doctors.

Here’s another reason to figure out how to stop snoring: researchers at the University of New South Wales’s Brain Sciences department recently conducted a study of sleep apnea sufferers who snore and found that they were at risk for brain damage. According to The Age, the changes in the brain biochemistry of people with sleep apnea while snoring were found to be similar to changes in people who have had severe strokes or who are dying. In a statement, lead researcher Professor Caroline Rae wrote, “It used to be thought that apnoeic snoring had absolutely no acute effects on brain function, but this is plainly not true.”

The problem, the study reveals, stems from the lack of oxygen reaching the brain during prolonged pauses in breathing. Researchers discovered that even small decreases in oxygen supply have an effect on brain function, though they did not know why. Rae said, “The brain could be basically resetting its bioenergetics to make itself more resistant to lack of oxygen. It may be a compensatory mechanism to keep you alive; we just don’t know. But even if it is, it’s not likely to be doing you much good.”

She added that she hopes the findings change people’s attitudes for snoring, saying, “People look at people snoring and think it’s funny. That has to stop.”

Let’s hope that the findings also encourage snorers with sleep apnea to seek out cures for snoring. A number of products and snoring devices are available to assist with this common problem.