Different Types of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. There are two main types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax, and central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS can discuss treatment options if you’ve been diagnosed with this condition, but first, we would like to explain the difference between the two.

When obstructive sleep apnea occurs, the muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe in, and you can’t get an adequate breath in. Your brain senses this inability to breathe and briefly rouses you from sleep so you can reopen your airway. You may make a snorting, choking or gasping sound. When central sleep apnea occurs, you may awaken with shortness of breath or have a difficult time getting to sleep or staying asleep. Like with obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and daytime sleepiness can occur.

If you are concerned about sleep apnea, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To set up an appointment with Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS in New Hyde Park, NY, call us at (516) 233-2135 or visit our website, www.goinggrin.com. 

Lip Care in Cold Weather

Dental health does not exist in isolation; it is connected to that of other body systems. At Dr. Amit Pandya’s New Hyde Park practice, we’ve seen the ravages of the winter weather on patients’ lips and we want them to understand how to protect themselves and why it is relevant to dental care.

The lack of moisture in cold air makes things tougher for people who suffer from dry mouth. When the body has difficulty producing saliva, it is more vulnerable to oral infections, including those which cause tooth decay. Humidifiers placed strategically around homes and workplaces can help combat this, especially when placed where the patient sleeps.

Two things that are definitely not helpful are long showers and moistening the lips with saliva. Wetting the lips causes them to dry out faster due to evaporation. Holding them under the teeth is worse; this will dry them out irritate them, and if done frequently, could cause the teeth to become misaligned. A better option is to use lip balm to seal in moisture, but some ingredients, such as fragrances and menthol, cause some peoples’ lips to become irritated. A change in products is necessary if this is a problem.

The office of Amit Pandya, DDS, is at 1575 Hillside Ave, Suite 207, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040. To schedule an appointment, call 516-233-2135, or visit his website at Going Grin and fill out a contact sheet.

 

The Correct Way to Floss

Plaque can be detrimental to our oral health if not removed with adequate brushing and flossing. This is because plaque is a biofilm, or mass of bacteria that grows on the surface of teeth once we are done eating. Plaque is the main cause of cavities and tooth decay, and to eliminate it, you’ll need to brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day. To get the most out of your flossing technique, Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS suggests utilizing these tips.  

• Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.


• Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.


• Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.


• When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a “C” shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.


• Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up-and-down motions. Repeat this method for the rest of your teeth and don’t forget the molars!

If you have questions or concerns about preventive dental care, please give us a call. To set up an appointment with Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS in New Hyde Park, NY, call us at (516) 233-2135 or visit our website, www.goinggrin.com. 

Proper Brushing Technique

Most of us have been brushing our teeth for years, but you may find it surprising that there are a right way and a wrong way to clean the teeth. Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS wants all patients to practice preventive oral hygiene. This includes brushing at least twice a day for two minutes and flossing at least twice a day. Next time you brush your teeth, try this technique.

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.


• Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes.


• Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.


• Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria

If you have questions or concerns about preventive dental care, please give us a call. To set up an appointment with Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS in New Hyde Park, NY, call us at (516) 233-2135 or visit our website, www.goinggrin.com. 

Preventing and Treating Dry Sockets

Patients undergoing tooth extractions at Dr. Amit Pandya’s New Hyde Park dental office are provided with detailed post-operation instructions. However, it is possible in some cases for things to go wrong, particularly if the extraction required Dr. Pandya to cut through bone and gum tissue. Therefore, we want our patients to know how to recognize signs of a dry socket, as well as how to prevent one.

Typical instructions following a tooth extraction are to refrain from sipping through straws, using birth control, and smoking or otherwise using tobacco. These are meant to ensure that a blood clot is able to form over the extraction site and remain in place (birth control prevents clot formation; the sucking pressure from a straw tears clots loose). Without the blood clot, the socket will dry out and be at high risk of infection.

If a patient can see the exposed socket or is in severe pain, they should request an immediate emergency appointment. Dr. Pandya will clean the extraction site with a small vacuum and cover it with medicated dressings. These dressings will have to be replaced every few days until the socket is closed. The patient will also be given painkillers and antibiotics. Though a dry socket is painful and something to be avoided, it is treatable and should not prevent a full recovery.

The office of Amit Pandya, DDS, is at 1575 Hillside Ave, Suite 207, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040. To schedule an appointment, call 516-233-2135, or visit his website at GoingGrin.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Oral Pathology and Cancer Screening

Oral cancer screening is a service that Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS provides in the office to look for signs of cancer or precancerous conditions in your mouth. Oral cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the lips, oral cavity or the throat. Oral pathology is the specialty that identifies and treats diseases of the mouth and maxillofacial region and Dr. Pandya would like to explain why oral cancer screening is important to the patient.

Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for the patient. The goal of oral cancer screening is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage – when cancer or lesions are easiest to remove and most likely to be cured. The screening itself involves checking the tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, throat, palate and gums for any signs of pathology. The goal of oral cancer screening is to identify mouth cancer early when there is a greater chance for a cure. If this is something you are interested in, please ask us about it the next time you come in for a visit.

It is important to remember that just because the doctor may recommend an oral cancer screening does not necessarily mean you have oral cancer. To set up an appointment with Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS in New Hyde Park, NY, call us at (516) 233-2135 or visit our website, www.goinggrin.com. 

Dangers of Amateur Orthodontics

In recent years, orthodontists have seen an alarming trend of people attempting orthodontic work on themselves. While amateur dentistry has always been a problem, the internet is now helping to fuel a new wave of dangerous practices which we at Dr. Pandya’s New Hyde Park office want to make sure our patients do not engage in.

Moving teeth safely takes time. They and the bony ridge surrounding them are living tissue, and shifting teeth requires that the jaw bone dissolve and then rebuild itself around them. Much of the current DIY orthodontic craze can be traced to a story that appeared online in March of 2016 about a person who used a 3D printer to make his own aligners. He claimed that by shifting his teeth at whatever speed he pleased, he was sparing himself expense at the dentist’s office. But dentists aren’t draining our patients of money by scheduling aligner appointments every six weeks; we’re giving our patients’ jaw bones enough time to rebuild so their teeth won’t come loose or fall out.

Other amateur orthodontic correctives are older, but are regaining fame online. These include using floss or hairbands as corrective wire. There are several problems with this: elastic could strangle the teeth’s blood supply, bonds without brackets could slide underneath the gum line, and they could exert too much pressure and push teeth the wrong way. If you are suffering from misaligned teeth, we urge you to come to our office and discuss professional orthodontics. Doing it yourself is unlikely to provide satisfactory results and very likely to do you harm.

The office of Amit Pandya, DDS, is at 1575 Hillside Ave, Suite 207, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040. To schedule an appointment, call 516-233-2135, or visit his website at GoingGrin.com and fill out a contact sheet.