Stop Snoring Archives - Peter A. Pate, DDS

May 2, 2012

Why Do I Have Bad Breath in the Morning?

Approximately 95 percent of people are affected by an oral condition that occurs during sleep. We’re talking about dry mouth and bad breath—a situation commonly referred to as morning breath. If your partner avoids kissing you in the morning, Dr. Pate offers these tips to treat your bad breath.

Common Causes of Morning Breath

Poor hygiene: Bacteria and food particles that sit in your mouth all night can produce a bad odor when you wake up. It’s important to brush and floss your teeth thoroughly before going to bed to help clear out any lingering microbes. Cleaning your mouth will also help reduce your risk of decay because oral bacteria won’t have as much material to feed on overnight. Additionally, alcohol further dries out your mouth, so make sure your mouthwash has little to no alcohol content.
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March 22, 2012

Are You a Sleeping Beauty?

Filed under: Healthy Living,Stop Snoring — Tags: atlanta dentist, atlanta family dentist, atlanta general dentist, atlanta sleep apnea treatment, buckhead dentist, buckhead general dentist, buckhead sleep apnea treatment, can't sleep atlanta, can't sleep buckhead, dentist atlanta, dentist buckhead, family dentist atlanta, general dentist atlanta, sleep apnea atlanta, sleep apnea buckhead — dr_pate @ 2:18 pm

We have discussed the importance of getting a good night’s sleep to keep your body strong and healthy, but there may be another reason you want to stay rested. A recent survey from Sweden shows that getting an adequate amount of sleep can help make you more attractive. Dr. Pate can help resolve your sleep problems so you can really get your “beauty sleep.”

Researchers asked observers to rate a series of photographs. Each participant had two photos—one taken after a good night’s sleep, and one taken after being awake for 31 hours. The observers rated the participants in the sleep-deprived photos as less healthy, less attractive, and more tired.

So how does sleep make you look more attractive? First of all, sleep gives your body the energy it needs to function properly throughout the day. If you stay awake all night, you won’t feel refreshed the next day and your body will feel sluggish. When it comes to appearance, sleep deprivation often leaves bags under your eyes and droopy skin. On the contrary, when your body is well-rested, your eyes will appear wider and your facial muscles will lift.

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March 7, 2012

National Sleep Awareness Week

Filed under: Stop Snoring — Tags: atlanta dentist, atlanta family dentist, atlanta sleep apnea, buckhead dentist, buckhead sleep apnea, can't sleep atlanta, daytime sleepiness atlanta, dentist atlanta, dentist brookhaven, dentist buckhead, dentist lenox, dentist sandy springs, family dentist atlanta, sleep apnea treatment atlanta, sleep better atlanta, sleepless nights atlanta — dr_pate @ 4:43 pm

The National Sleep Foundation reports that about 37 percent of adults sleep less than seven hours per night, but the recommended time is seven to nine hours. People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to experience daytime sleepiness and health problems. This week, March 5-11, is National Sleep Awareness Week, a campaign designed to promote the importance of sleep. Dr. Pate can help you understand the importance of getting adequate sleep at night.

Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder, affecting about 18 million Americans. Sleep apnea blocks your airways at night, interrupting your rest.
Insufficient sleep is associated with anxiety, depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
Sleeplessness decreases your performance and effectiveness, and increases your risk of accidents and injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that drowsy driving is responsible for 1,500 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and 100,000 car accidents each year.
Staying awake for more than 20 hours straight causes the same reactions and impairment—including blurred vision—as having a blood alcohol concentration level of .08 percent.

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January 24, 2012

What Happens When I Sleep?

Filed under: Healthy Living,Stop Snoring — Tags: atlanta dentist, atlanta family dentist, atlanta general dentist, atlanta sleep apnea, buckhead sleep apnea, healthy living atlanta, sleep apnea atlanta, sleep apnea buck head, sleep apnea dentist, sleep apnea vinnings, stop snoring atlanta, stop snoring buckhead — dr_pate @ 3:01 pm

In a previous blog post, we discussed the risks, causes, and symptoms of sleep apnea. Dr. Peter Pate offers his patients snoring and sleep apnea treatments. Scientists devote a lot of research to sleep. Although we spend nearly 30% of our life in bed, we are often unaware of the science of sleep. Below are a few interesting facts and trivia dedicated to what happens while we rest.

Facts You May Not Know About Sleep

Sleep is a necessity. Sleep deprivation can result in death before starvation. In as little as 10 days without sleep, you could be facing mortality.
There are four stages of sleep that you progress through in your sleep cycle. The deepest stages of sleep help your organs and tissues repair from daily damage
Outside of the four sleep stages, you enter Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep multiple times throughout the night
In the past, researchers believed that humans only dreamed during REM sleep. However, recent findings have shown that we dream throughout the night, but REM dreaming is more vivid and strange. (more…)

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January 18, 2012

How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?

Filed under: Healthy Living,Stop Snoring — Tags: atlanta general dentist, atlanta sleep apnea, atlanta stop snoring, buckhead dentist, buckhead stop snoring, dr. pate sleep apnea, healthy living atlanta, sleep apnea atlanta, stop snoring atlanta, stop snoring buckhead — dr_pate @ 6:44 pm

Did you know that Dr. Peter Pate treats patients with sleep apnea? In addition to general and cosmetic dentistry, he provides treatment for sleepy Atlantans, too!

What is sleep apnea?

Over 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea and over 40% of adults snore when they sleep. As we learn more about this sleep disorder, we have discovered that sleep apnea is more common than we thought. While you are sleeping, the soft tissues in your mouth relax. As these tissues relax, they can cause obstruction of your airways. Most patients with sleep apnea are disrupted by breathing cessation during their rest. For a few seconds, or even longer than a minute, you can stop breathing. During the short periods throughout the night that you stop breathing, you awaken from sleep. Some patients also experience choking and gasping during these periods. (more…)

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May 12, 2011

Catch Your ZZZ’s to Prevent Disease!

At times sleep can be elusive, but it is important to overall health and oral health. Sleep impacts your memory, curbs inflammation, spurs your imagination, sharpens your attention, lowers stress levels, helps you maintain a healthy weight, and slows the progression of periodontal disease.

Your mind and body are very active during sleep. While sleeping, cells repair themselves, and hormones and the immune system reset. With an out-of-whack immune system, the body can’t fight illness or disease effectively.

When you feel worn down due to sleep deprivation, your body’s immune system is suppressed. Then the body is slower to produce the antibodies needs to fight infections. The less sleep you get, the weaker the immune system becomes.

A recent study in Japan revealed that people who slept less than seven hours a night stood a greater chance of developing periodontal disease than those who slept seven to eight hours a night. Researchers concluded that the lack of sleep weakened the immune system, causing the gum disease to progress more rapidly.

Several factors may affect your sleep: stress, medications, diet, your mattress, or obstructive sleep apnea. This condition occurs when soft tissues in the throat and mouth collapse and block the airflow during sleep.

If you experience sleepless nights due to sleep apnea or snoring, contact me, Dr. Peter Pate of Dentistry in Buckhead. I can determine if you need treatment for sleep apnea or require a snoreguard to keep your airway open as you sleep. Call my Atlanta dentist office at (404)266-9424 to schedule a consultation. We gladly welcome patients from Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Lenox, and surrounding areas.

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August 4, 2010

Stop Snoring, Atlanta, and Get a Good Night’s Sleep!

Filed under: Stop Snoring — Tags: buckhead atlanta sleep apnea, sleep better buckhead atlanta, sleep dentistry buckhead atlanta, sleep disorder buckhead atlanta, sleep guard buckhead atlanta, sleep lab buckhead atlanta, snore guard buckhead atlanta, snoreguard buckhead atlanta, somnomed buckhead atlanta, stop snoring buckhead atlanta — dr_pate @ 1:20 pm

Snoring can be a headache for the snorer and the poor snoree, the person subjected to the obnoxious nighttime noise. But there’s more to it than that. Snoring can indicate a condition called obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. If your sleeping pal tells you that you hold your breath during sleep; if you wake up suddenly, choking and gasping for air; if you’re irritable, forgetful, and tired all day long, you might have obstructive sleep apnea or another sleep disorder.

I’m Dr. Peter Pate, a Buckhead Atlanta dentist. While I can provide checkups and dental crowns with the best of ‘em, I also help people stop snoring and overcome sleep apnea. You see, in some cases, obstructive sleep apnea can be corrected with an oral appliance.

When you sleep, soft tissues in your mouth and throat can obstruct airflow. Snoring is actually the sound made when these tissues vibrate while you breathe. Sleep apnea occurs when airflow is completely obstructed for periods of 10 seconds or more, repeatedly during sleep. (more…)

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