Obstructive Breathing Disorders

Obstructive Breathing Disorders, such as sleep apnea, have long gone unnoticed, leading to serious health consequences. Clear evidence from studies has prompted the American Dental Association to recommend that dentists screen for these disorders during regular examinations, particularly for children, to determine the need for further diagnosis or treatment.

Symptoms of obstructive breathing disorders may include: 

• Snoring,
• gasping for air at night, 
• feeling tired upon waking, and 
• falling asleep easily throughout the day. 

These symptoms can also cause overactive behavior and behavioral issues in children. Sleep apnea, in particular, deprives the body of healthy oxygen levels due to interrupted breathing at night, leading to potential systemic diseases and weight gain in adults.

Recent statistics suggest that 25% of men and 10% of women have an obstructive breathing disorder. This prevalence may be linked to the shrinking jaw size of modern humans compared to our prehistoric ancestors, who had larger jaws with more space in the airway. Lifestyle changes and diet since World War II may be responsible for this shrinkage.

The most common treatment for sleep apnea has been Positive Airway Pressure, which uses a small machine to blow air through a mask worn over the nose to prevent the airway from closing. 

However, some people struggle to become accustomed to this treatment. Alternative treatments, such as dental appliances that reposition the jaw and tongue to open the airway, are becoming more popular. 

Dentists who specialize in sleep medicine are certified by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and generally work with other health professionals to diagnose and treat sleep apnea.