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Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that is characterized by excessive sleepiness, sleep attacks, sleep paralysis, hallucinations and, for some, sudden loss of muscle control (cataplexy). It affects roughly 1 in 2,000 to 3,000 people but can go undiagnosed for many years

People that snore is the biggest reason for people to seek treatment. The fact that one in ten people also have undiagnosed sleep apnoea. The snoring in itself can make people feel embarrassed or worried if they are sharing a room with friends or a partner

The cause of snoring is mostly the relationship of the tongue and the back of throat. Patients with a small chin are often a clinical risk factor for snoring or sleep apnoea due to their tongue more likely being close to the back of their throat. Advancement of the lower jaw (mandible) via a removal dental device can transform your airway and snoring/breathing at night

Bruxism can be treated with a grinding splint made by the dentist and worn at night. This does not prevent tooth grinding but does reduce the pressure or power of the jaw when you grind  or clench the teeth, and does protect the teeth when worn. The grinding splint (called an occlusal splint) should not be worn night and day as it can change your bite

Did you know that the treatment of jaw pain (called temporomandibular disorder) which may often involve pain of both jaw joints and jaw muscles in 70% of cases does not require dental treatment such as orthodontics (braces) or changing of the teeth (crowns) to treat the condition.There are numerous studies which demonstrate those patients that had a temporomandibular disorder and had simple treatment involving addressing the causal or aggravating factors and pain management strategies such as physiotherapy and simple analgesics did as well as those patients that had complex treatment of changing their bite (occlusal rehabilitation) or orthodontics

The most common form of oral cancer is like a skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. In many cases this condition is diagnosed by a biopsy (sample of tissue taken) and having it tested by pathologist to confirm the diagnosis. The most common risk factors for oral cancer are still smoking and alcohol. If you smoke and drink alcohol, according to a risk assessment study by Blogg et all 1988, you are 32 times more likely to develop oral squamous cell carcinoma than a non-smoker and non-drinker

A blocked nose can also be a cause for snoring. A clever device available in pharmacies is the ‘Mute’ from Rhinomed and makes it possible to insert into the nostrils at night which will increase the diameter of the nose passages allowing easier breathing

People that are chronically tired and in many cases feel irritable or anxious may have a sleep disordered breathing condition called upper airway resistance syndrome.

The treatment of jaw pain in most cases involves some practical daytime strategies such as softer foods and use of a heat or ice pack when needed. The use of simple anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen is helpful if you are taking with food. The important thing to note is if you are on a blood thinner medicine or asthmatic or allergic to anti-inflammatories you should seek advice from your pharmacist or doctor

Did you know that people who are overweight and have type II diabetes are almost 100% likely to have undiagnosed sleep apnoea