In Dental Products Report, Dr Lou Shuman and Alice Limkakeng discuss the state of chronic sleep disorders and the role of dental practitioners in addressing the growing issue.
I believe that dental practitioners have a tremendous opportunity to address our nation’s sleep crisis. The American Dental Association has recently adopted a policy calling for all dentists to screen patients for sleep-related breathing disorders and to treat appropriately with oral appliances.
Dental practitioners have responsibility for the oral cavity and the airway within their scope of practice. We now know that issues of occlusion, bruxism and compromised dentition go hand-in-hand with sleeping disorders. By putting to use their dental knowledge, screening patients for breathing disorders and treating appropriately with dental appliances, dentists can make a huge positive impact on our national sleep crisis.
