Questions about your theme with my app

Hi,

I have built an app with push notifications. When I get alerts in my app for a private message, I click and go directly to the message inbox.  The theme doesn’t mark the message as read as the app goes directly to the message and not to the private message inbox area.  Is there anyway that I could get a read message to mark the inbox as read without having to click through the inbox to the message?

If not possible. Is it possible to turn off the PROFILE navigation area tab to NOT show the message count?  Most of my users will be using the app because it will allow real time push notifications.

Thanks,

james