To maximise your chance of a quiet, comfortable and refreshing night’s sleep, our clinic provides an integrated approach allowing us, in severe and chronic cases, to work closely with your GP, dentist, respiratory specialist and CPAP technician.
|
dental health |
Anxiety, Stress
|
Snoring & Sleep apnea |
Did you know that the way you breathe can influence such things as crooked teeth, cosmetic need for orthodontic corrections, jaw pain, facial pain, headaches, gum disease, tooth decay, anxiety, teeth grinding and clenching, snoring, and neck and shoulder pain?
Nasal breathing provides the correct negative air pressure for your upper jaw to fully and functionally develop, so all your teeth fit in your mouth without buckling and overcrowding. Lip seal allows the saliva, with its antiseptic properties, to provide protection for your teeth from decay. Nasal breathing, with the tongue in its correct resting position, ensures your jaw is relaxed, prevents headaches and eliminates teeth grinding. When combined with a smile it even calms you. Orthodontists know that the mouth, face, skull and neck are the upper end of the respiratory system and will consult with an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist or Respiratory Physician to address some of the more complex cases. They also know that function (i.e. breathing) and structure are interrelated. You can actively contribute to your dental health with SMART Breathing which will help you achieve and maintain nasal breathing – not just when at rest, but also at different levels of physical activity or mental engagement. Co-ordinated breathing, chewing and swallowing with sealed lips assists the digestive system, helps clear your ears, stops you from choking, and maintains good muscle tone of your lips, cheeks, throat and nasal passages. This is also important as we get older and our bite changes. Dysfunctional breathing leads to musculo-skeletal changes like head forward position, which perpetuates poor breathing habits that can contribute to posture and movement problems. Our clinic provides functional posture and breathing retraining that is closely aligned with your orthodontic and dental treatment plan. Make a booking today. |
If you suffer panic attacks you know how draining rapid breathing can be.
Headaches, cold hands and feet, neck and shoulder tension, shortness of breath, poor concentration, difficulty getting to sleep, a sense of apprehension, and feeling overwhelmed, may all be signs that you are chronically hyperventilating. SMART Breathing is a breathing technique that helps you to recognise when your breathing is undermining your peace of mind. You will learn how to centre yourself and respond in a calm and alert manner, instead of reacting with anxiety and alarm. Most importantly, you will learn how to minimise and prevent panic attacks. The Stress Connection Stress of any sort activates the fight, flight or freeze response, which increases the automatic breathing pattern, heart rate, blood pressure etc. Hyperventilation occurs if the stress source cannot be fought or escaped. Normal pressure of oxygen and pH range is maintained, but a loss of carbon dioxide occurs. The loss of carbon dioxide causes less oxygen to be delivered from the blood into the tissue cells such as those of the brain and muscles (Bohr effect). Poor function of organs or tiredness occurs; there is extra wear and tear on the body and an increase in lactic acid production. Symptoms such as fainting, pain, fatigue, airway narrowing, increased mucus production and swelling result because a poor breathing pattern is perpetuating stress on the body. The whole scenario becomes a vicious cycle since hyperventilation is, in itself, stressful, and so are the symptoms. Join one of our classes and discover your mindful, calm way of everyday being. |
Waking unrefreshed, feeling wired and tired, having a headache for no obvious reason, dry mouth, snoring, short of breath, falling asleep when not active, poor concentration, irritability and nasal congestion are some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. When untreated it can lead to blood pressure problems, diabetes, and predispose you to having a stroke.
SMART Breathing retraining teaches you how to recondition your brain to regular rhythmical breathing whether you are asleep or awake. As you tone your soft palate through correct breathing during the day, it is less likely to relax and close on you (obstructive sleep apnea) while you are asleep. You my be one of those snorers who are seemingly blessed as your head hits the pillow you fall asleep and wake up the next morning unaware of your dysfunctional breathing. Often you do not connect your poor stamina and lack of vitality to your questionable quality of sleep. Or you my be the type who has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Either way, we can help. In our clinic we look at your sleeping posture, bedtime habits and sleep hygiene. We will teach you how to quieten your mind, reduce the number of toilet trips and avoid your partner elbowing you. Carbon Dioxide Emission is key to good health and any changes in CO2 blood levels will trigger reactions. Just before you stop breathing (that is, you have an apnea event), your minute volume typically goes up. You can be breathing 20 liters of air a minute, which causes a excessive drop in CO2 levels. Then, when you hold your breath, you create a rise in CO2 again, which is typically too high, leading you into the next episode of faster, deeper breathing. This erratic breathing pattern results in poor Oxygen delivery with fluctuating SO2, oxygen saturation levels. To maximise your chance of a quiet, comfortable and refreshing night’s sleep, our clinic provides an integrated approach allowing us, in severe and chronic cases, to work closely with your GP, dentist, respiratory specialist and CPAP technician. |