Subscribe 

Good morning.

A 2024 meta-analysis published in The Journal of Sleep Research found vitamin D is often overlooked in sleep dentistry despite its significant role in sleep quality and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Today’s Edition:

• Vitamin D is essential for sleep and can improve patient outcomes by reducing apnea events when integrated with OSA treatments.

• A 2024 clinical trial found that vitamin D supplementation reduced AHI scores by 25% and improved sleep efficiency.

• CE Opportunities / Events

• Exciting news! Dr. Michael Bennett, DDS, PhD, is now a contributing editor for our More Than Teeth Newsletter.

5-minute read👇

Clinical Corner

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

Key Takeaways🔑

The Silent Role of Vitamin D in Sleep Dentistry

What the Science Says

A study from 2024 in The Journal of Sleep Research found that people with low vitamin D levels had trouble falling asleep, woke up often during the night, and didn't sleep well. Those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were more likely to have low vitamin D, which made inflammation and muscle problems in the airway worse.

Vitamin D’s Role in OSA Pathophysiology

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) isn't just about physical blockages; it also involves chemical processes in the body. Research indicates that vitamin D helps control certain inflammatory substances, like TNF-α and IL-6, which are higher in people with OSA. This ongoing inflammation makes it easier for airways to collapse, worsening apnea. A study from 2023 found that taking vitamin D supplements lowered these inflammation levels and improved sleep apnea symptoms

Screening and Supplementation in Dental Sleep Practice

• Symptoms to watch for: Excessive daytime sleepiness, chronic fatigue, mood disturbances, and frequent respiratory infections.

• High-risk groups: Obese patients, older adults, and those with limited sun exposure.

• Testing: A referral to a primary care physician for vitamin D deficiency by having a 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test should be included in routine sleep assessments.

Growing your practice tip: Interview internal medicine doctors to refer OSA patients with suspected vitamin D deficiency. Select those open to interprofessional collaboration, and identify who communicates well and reciprocates patient referrals.

By incorporating vitamin D assessment and management into dental sleep practices, we can enhance patient outcomes and advance the field of sleep dentistry beyond mechanical interventions. It’s time to bring this silent factor into the spotlight.

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. … I forgot something!

Exciting news! Dr. Michael Bennett, DDS, PhD, is a contributing editor for our More Than Teeth Newsletter. Look out for engaging articles, a podcast, and more insights from his recent dissertation on dentists screening for sleep in their patients.