Are you working? Inattention? Do you often wake up with a headache? Do you often sleep when you should not sleep, such as when driving?
Tell your dentist!

The dentist cares more than just your pearl white. We are here to help you with your overall health and happiness! There is growing evidence that sleep deprivation, a condition that may cause all the symptoms listed at the top of this post, is at the root of a large number of illnesses every day. Fortunately, treating sleep deprivation is what most dentists are willing and able to do.

Your dentist can help you sleep

Your dentist can help you with a lot of sleep problems – start doing this when you “open up” during a dental appointment. Your mouth, neck and chin can show signs of your sleep quality. For example, worn enamel may be a sign of stress or anxiety, causing people to grind their teeth at night. The shape of your chin may also mean that your dentist is at risk for sleep apnea (also known as obstructive sleep apnea or OSA).

Specifically, most dentists know when it comes to sleep disordered breathing, such as snoring or OSA. In addition to observing the shape and location of your chin, dentists can also check to see if your lack of sleep is related to sleep apnea or snoring. This assessment should include a conversation to discuss your recent overall well-being. Have you been dizzy all day? Do you have a sore throat or a dry mouth when you wake up? Do you have experience with insomnia? A candid conversation, including these issues, may alert your dentist to more subtle, non-physical signs of sleep-disordered breathing.

If your dentist suspects you have a sleep disorder, they will ask you to see a sleep doctor to check. This may involve a physical examination by a doctor or a polysomnography test (also known as a sleep study) to measure markers such as your blood oxygen level, heart rate, and breathing during sleep. Once you are diagnosed with a sleep disordered breathing, you can contact your dentist to discuss your journey for a better night's sleep.

Sleep apnea: the way the dentist goes

Although it may not be widely known, many dentists are specialized in training and managing sleep apnea. Dentists can help you improve your sleep quality, allowing you to adapt to the jaw advancement device – a mouthpiece that looks like a sports guard, open your airway while you sleep – to suggest that you can change your lifestyle, such as Eat a low-fat diet or eat low-fat foods. The buzzing sound from the computer screen before going to bed allowed me to spend a more comfortable night.

Specifically, dentists are experts in helping you choose continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which is considered the “gold standard” for sleep apnea therapy. Unfortunately, CPAP is not a comfortable or even viable option for many patients with sleep apnea. Their compliance and compliance are low, especially for patients with sleep apnea, who are not obese. For patients with mild to moderate OSA (or patients who have been diagnosed with "serious" OSA but cannot tolerate CPAP), dentists can specifically assist with other treatment options.
The field of dental sleep medicine is dedicated to the practice of installing oral devices for sleep apnea therapy. Many dentists are specially trained in this area. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, there are many reasons to ask your dentist if he or she is not. Wearing a mask at night to improve breathability during sleep, the mask is light and compact, does not require a power source, and many patients feel more comfortable than CPAP.

If you think you may have a sleep disordered breathing, take your dentist next time you go for an exam. They will definitely make you sleep well.