The big deal about airway
Dental offices are commonly thought about as “tooth places”, but they are so much more. We are now recognizing that proper breathing is essential for proper health. If someone has some obstructions to proper airflow and ventilation, many serious implications follow.
In adults, severe obstructive sleep apnea has been implicated in a high risk of heart attack and stroke. Other concerns would be poor quality sleep causing daytime sleepiness, acid reflux, headaches, and increased whole-body inflammation that is implicated in a whole spectrum of health problems.
In children, poor breathing patterns will affect school performance (poor sleep), poor facial growth and development, dental crowding and malalignment, orthodontic relapse, and is the gateway to the future health issues listed above for adults. Additionally, children with breathing issues may have bedwetting and behavioural issues that cause them to be misdiagnosed with ADHD (when in fact they may simply be tired).
Orally, mouth breathing and reflux increase the risk of cavities, bad breath, crowding, and jaw pain (among others likely not even yet linked). Given that oral-facial things are solidly within the purview of dentistry, we have a unique opportunity to detect disease early and help make the appropriate interventions and referrals.
What we can do for you
- Screening – oftentimes people are unaware that their breathing pattern is unhealthy and contributing to other health problems. A questionnaire and oral exam can often easily identify problems that may need treatment.
- Oral Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) – this is the mainstay of airway management in our office. Performed by hygienists with extra training in myofunctional therapy, you can think of this as physiotherapy for proper breathing. There are four main behaviours that OMT aims to create:
- Full-time nose breathing
- Closed-mouth lip posture
- Proper tongue position during breathing and sleep
- Proper swallowing pattern of the oral muscles
- Bonus: OMT is often a benefit covered by many dental insurance plans!
- Referrals – we have connections to other professionals that may need to be involved! This could include things such as:
- Referrals for Sleep studies (without the need for your own family doctor)
- Referrals for tongue tie releases (frenectomies done the proper way to prevent unfavourable scarring)
- Referrals to orthodontists who may need to widen dental arches
- Communications with family physicians and Ear/Nose/Throat Specialists for further intervention