J. Peter St. Clair, DMD, PC

Last week I introduced Part 1 of “Breathing is Important”. For this week’s column to make the most sense, I would encourage you to read that column first. It can be found at www.thetowncommon.com.

In case you don’t have a chance to read it, here is a brief recap: I have been involved in treating patients with sleep apnea for a few years. These are patients who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea or Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) by a sleep doctor. Some patients are referred who have mild-moderate sleep apnea as first-line treatment, and others are unable or unwilling to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine.

There is clear evidence… (Read More)

About ten years ago I took a weekend course at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine entitled “Sleep Dentistry”. This was not a course in putting patients to sleep for their dental work. This particular course was an introduction to treating people who had been diagnosed with sleep apnea (a sleep breathing disorder) by a medical doctor, and could not (or would not) use the dreaded CPAP machine.

CPAP, which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, is a facial mask which blows air through the nose to create an “air stent” to basically hold the airway open during sleep. It is the gold standard of treating sleep apnea and works well for many people, but… (Read More)

Last week I introduced you to a patient who has been struggling with dental decay (cavities), gum recession, and dental erosion (the chemical breakdown of tooth structure). I discussed how these dental problems are complex multifactorial diseases of epidemic levels affecting both children and adults.

I ended with the idea that a healthy mouth requires more than brushing, flossing, and “fillings”. With current scientific evidence and new technologies, patients and practitioners need to begin to look at these problems not just from a drilling and filling approach, but also from a medical (preventive/therapeutic) approach. If “we” continue to think the same way about dental issues, we will continue to have the same struggles and same… (Read More)

Last week we discussed changing our lifestyle to improve our health. As we all know, changing our behavior, habits, attitude, or any aspect of our lives can be a difficult thing to do. I am not writing as an expert on this subject, as I have the same struggles as everyone else with change. However, repeated awareness of changes we want to make is one strategy to move us closer to making that change.

A good example is Mary, a patient of mine. Mary is an adult who has had issues with decay (bacterial disease that breaks down tooth structure), dental erosion (chemical breakdown of tooth structure), and gum recession (loss of the supporting structures… (Read More)

Gum disease might seem like a mild dental issue at first, but if it’s left unaddressed for too long, it can result in major oral health complications. To keep your smile safe, you’ll naturally want to see your dentist as soon as possible to have your gum disease treated. But can the problem truly be cured for good? Here’s what you need to know to protect your gum health.

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Dental hygienists love it when they make suggestions to patients about home care and their dreams are answered when the patient returns 6 months later with noticeable improvement. It might be as simple as adding a good electric toothbrush or waterpik to the patient’s regimen. I would like to say that we are amazed daily by the fruits of our counseling, but that isn’t the case. For whatever reasons there are, changing routines is often difficult.

Over 10 years ago I wrote a column about an article I saw in a magazine, which is apparently also a book, entitled “Change or Die”. What if you were given that choice? What if the doctor said you… (Read More)

Last week I discussed the importance of communication in any relationship, specifically the healthcare provider/patient relationship. Trust is mutually built as this relationship develops over time.

“There’s not enough time in the day.” Have you ever used this excuse? I said this yesterday to someone. We all tend to waste a lot of time, or at least don’t use the time we have as effectively as we could. You would think that in our technology-filled world, time management would be easier. Some of this technology actually gets in the way by adding even more of a time commitment to things that reduce interpersonal communication.

Here’s an example. It’s time to buy a new car. There… (Read More)

Patients and dentists sometimes see things. Often, what is important to dentists is not important to patients, and vice versa. While dentists may often have a blind spot when it comes to seeing things from a patient’s viewpoint, it’s important for both patient and doctor to have an open mind. Depending on what you are looking for, this is the start of a relationship, not a one-time transaction.

Dentists often have a similar blind spot in the ability to communicate with patients. When our particular “philosophy of care” doesn’t mesh with the patient’s current philosophy or desires, we have to determine how we’re going to approach each patient. Or, do we have the same approach… (Read More)

We’re already a week into the New Year. Wow, does time fly! Do you have your list of New Year’s resolutions to make 2023 the best year ever? Throughout the year I’m always adding things to my list of things to do. As with many to-do lists, some of the items on it keep getting pushed down in the ranking of priorities because of the constraints of time. So, just like last year, my first New Year’s resolution is to take that list and purify it.

Many driven people pride themselves on how many tasks and commitments they are able to take on. This is difficult to sustain. Eventually, this philosophy of always doing more… (Read More)

Flossing is one of the most important things you can do to protect your oral health, yet it’s one aspect of dental hygiene that tends to be neglected. With the new year right around the corner, now’s a good time to try and incorporate flossing into your daily routine.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Any time you try and commit to something new, there are bound to be some bumps in the road. Here are a few ways that you can make a flossing habit stick.

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