Clenching or bruxism have recently been linked to sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. Because of these new findings, The American College of Prosthodontics recommends that dentists screen for Sleep Related Breathing Disorder (SRBD) in all patients who clench or will undergo restorative dentistry.
Impacting between 50 to 70 million Americans, sleep-disordered breathing is proving to be a silent health crisis. Dentists are a patient’s best hope for catching sleep-disordered breathing early and preventing chronic illnesses later in life.
Did you know that approximately 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder? And of this 70 million, an estimated 80 percent are undiagnosed? And it’s likely that these individuals will remain undiagnosed for the rest of their lives.
Sleep texting fragments sleep and may point to additional sleep disorders. Sleep disorders are especially a concern in teens and young adults because their developing brains lack restful NREM or memory enhancing REM sleep.