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Good morning.

What if the key to solving your daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, or your child’s learning difficulties wasn’t a pill, but a good night’s sleep? And what if your dentist was the one who could help uncover it?

That’s not a futuristic idea. It’s happening now.

At More Than Teeth, we believe in restoring health by restoring sleep, and dentists are uniquely equipped to lead the charge.

In Today’s Edition:

1. New neuroscience findings linking oral health to sleep and chronic disease

2. A powerful case study of diagnosis through dental screening

3. Practical tools to help dentists detect and refer for sleep apnea

4. CE Opportunities / Events

5-minute read👇

Clinical Corner

🥼Use the clinical corner as your secret weapon to impress your colleagues and patients!

Key Takeaways🔑

Why Sleep Belongs in the Dental Chair

Dentists often see their patients more regularly than doctors do, which puts them in a unique position to notice health issues. A study from the Journal of the American Dental Association in 2024 highlights that dentists can be the first to spot signs of sleep disorders in their patients. By doing so, they can quickly refer them to the right medical experts, which can save lives and reduce future health problems. (Thomas et al., 2024)

From scalloped tongues and worn molars to crowded teeth and chronic mouth breathing, dentists routinely observe signs of possible sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs)—yet many have never been trained to act on them.

Understanding how sleep affects the brain and its link to dental health helps dentists take early action to prevent long-term health issues like heart disease, brain disorders, and cancer.(Thomas et al., 2024).

Dr. Bennett’s Case Spotlight: From Routine Cleaning to Life-Saving Diagnosis

“All I came in for was a cleaning.”

That’s what 47-year-old Jacob told Dr. Bennett during a routine dental visit. But during his exam, Dr. Bennett noticed significant tongue scalloping, worn molars from grinding, and Jacob’s narrow palate and retruded jaw—all red flags for an airway issue.

A quick sleep screening confirmed excessive daytime sleepiness. With Jacob’s consent, Dr. Bennett coordinated a home sleep test. The results: severe obstructive sleep apnea, with an AHI (Apnea-Hypopnea Index) over 30.

Jacob had no idea. He just thought he was tired and a bit stressed.

After diagnosis by a sleep physician, Jacob began CPAP therapy and later transitioned to a mandibular advancement device (MAD) for better compliance. His energy returned, his blood pressure stabilized, and for the first time in years, he dreamed again.

Business of Sleep

📈Better businesses = more lives saved!

Every dental chair is a missed opportunity—unless we screen.
With nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults visiting their dentists annually, dentists are one of the most underutilized frontline providers for identifying undiagnosed sleep disorders. According to the ADA’s 2017 policy and Greenberg & Glick’s public health perspective, integrating SRBD screening into your hygiene workflow isn’t just good care—it’s smart business.

Sleep screening enhances patient outcomes, improves referrals, and builds bridges with physicians. It positions your practice not just as a smile-maker, but as a wellness hub. The cost of ignoring airway signs? Missed diagnoses, missed impact, and missed opportunity.

Something Sweet

🍭Stuff so sweet you might get a cavity..

CE Opportunities / Events

Have an event you would like to post? (free) [ click here ]

Miscellaneous

😅P.S. … 🛏️ Sleep Tip of the Month:
Encourage nasal breathing at night. Try using mouth tape (under professional guidance) or nasal strips to promote healthier, quieter sleep.