The first toothbrushes were small sticks or twigs mashed at one end to create a broader cleaning surface. The Chinese lay claim to the first bristle toothbrush. Europe adopted the bristle brush in the 17th century, and many dentists practicing in colonial America advised their patients to use the brush.

Sleep apnea is a disorder affecting more than 12 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. It affects men and women of all ages, even children. Apnea is a Greek word, meaning "without breath."

ABOUT SNORING: Snoring is a sound that is produced when the air passes through relaxed tissue in the back of the throat. When snoring becomes sleep apnea, the tissue collapses causing an obstruction - although other reasons can also cause obstruction like tonsils or adenoids that need to be removed to allow more airway space. It becomes difficult to breathe through the confined space that remains. For some people, the tissue collapses so severely that it totally blocks the airway and breathing is nearly impossible. The result is an apneic event.

People affected by sleep apnea literally stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, often for a minute or longer, possibly occurring hundreds of times per night. The heart and lungs panic, sending a distress signal to the brain. The brain, in turn, floods the body with adrenalin and quickens the heartbeat. The chest heaves as its muscles try to force the body awake in order to restore airway muscle tone and allows air to pass to the lungs again. The body succeeds and for a moment the airway opens, the individual gasps and breathes, then promptly falls back asleep and repeats this scenario over and over again.

You can imagine this action going on hundreds of times each night - affects the cardiovascular system, causes sexual dysfunction, depression and even death. The bad news is that most people don't remember upon awakening that they had the episodes. Instead they notice symptoms like:

• Headaches upon awakening
• Daytime sleepiness
• Being sleepy during daily activities (driving, reading, watching TV)
• Awakening with a gasp or cough
• Trouble staying asleep
• High blood pressure or hypertension
• Feeling tired despite a full night of sleep

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
We are proud to have the latest technology for diagnosing and measuring your airway. This equipment is called Pharyngometer and Rhinometer. These instruments are simple breathing tests to measure the nasal and throat airways. If collapse of the airway is noted, we offer a brief sleep study called Watch Pat to take home or we communicate with your family doctor to obtain a referral for an overnight sleep study called a polysomnogram. Together, with your sleep doctor, we will detennine whether an airway oral appliance will be an effective treatment for you!