How Does Sleep Apnea Affect the Brain?
It's no secret that sleep apnea is dangerous. Sufferers stop breathing sporadically throughout the night while they're asleep. This sporadic pause in oxygen intake and dispelling of carbon dioxide can have many detrimental effects on the body, all while a sleep apnea sufferer is fast asleep. The psychological side effects...
Don't Grind Away Your Smile!
Grinding your teeth at night is largely out of your control; after all, you're asleep. That doesn't mean there's nothing you can do about it. Bruxism, or teeth grinding, doesn't just make your teeth and jaw hurt in the morning, it can also lead to various other side effects including...
Can Snoring Be A Sign?
Do you know a notorious snorer? Maybe it's you or maybe it's your partner. Either way, chances are the answer is yes, that you do know someone who snores. Snoring is often leveraged as a joke to tease our loved ones but it can just as easily be discounted as...
Facial Symmetry and the Golden Ratio
One of the easiest ways to recognize Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) is recognizing facial asymmetry. A dysfunctional jaw is reflected by a dysfunctional appearance. This noticeable effect can be seen in a person’s dental alignment or "bite." Dental misalignment causes strain on other facial structures such as muscles, nerves, and...
Will My New Veneers Look Fake?
One of the things people considering veneers struggle with is whether their new smile will look unmistakably fake. There is a clear distinction between a beautiful natural-looking smile and something that looks paid for and inauthentic, and people generally prefer the former. So, will veneers look fake? FAQs Like any...
The Impact of Mouth Breathing on Facial Development
The quality of the air we breathe, and interestingly enough, how we breathe it, has a significant impact on our health. Not only does air affect the respiratory system, but also the cardiovascular system, mental health, and development. Unbeknownst to most, there are countless connections between the way the face...
How Oral Appliances Can Treat Sleep Apnea
It's no secret that sleep apnea is a major problem in the United States. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates that about 26 percent of adults between the ages of 30 and 70 years have sleep apnea. Even more troubling, one estimate suggests that roughly 80 percent of those...
How the Jaw Affects Head Posture
People are more sedentary than ever. We now spend hours hunched over a computer for work with little to no regard for how it will affect our posture long-term. To make matters worse, we spend an inordinate amount of time looking down at phones throughout the day, only exacerbating...
The Heart and Mouth Connection
APRIL 23, 2020 The Heart and Mouth Connection by Dr. Jennifer Wallace According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease will claim an estimated 600,000 lives this year, making it America’s number one killer. Did you know that heart disease and oral health are linked? There...
Tired of Being Tired?
APRIL 23, 2020 Tired of Being Tired? by Dr. Jennifer Wallace Sleep, Breathe, and Live Better! One of the first descriptions of an Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) sufferer is attributed to the novelist Charles Dickens, who described ‘‘Joe’’ in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, published in 1836. Joe...
Effects of Mouth Breathing on Facial Growth
APRIL 22, 2020 Effects of Mouth Breathing on Facial Growth by Dr. Jennifer Wallace Breathing is an essential part of life. However, it’s such a natural part of life that most people don’t ever think about it. For instance, do you know whether your child breathes through their nose or...
Facial Growth and Airways
MARCH 29, 2020 Facial Growth and Airways by Palmetto Smiles of Beaufort 21st Century Orthodontics– Don’t Just Straighten Teeth…Increase Your Face Value!!! As parents we absolutely want what is best for our children in every way. Many parents are well aware of the specific milestones that our children should reach...