Dentists can identify sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, aiding in prevention of health complications.

Researchers from Rutgers Health suggest that dentists can play a crucial role in identifying sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnea, which affects many Americans. Dentists often notice early symptoms like tooth grinding and tongue scalloping. By integrating sleep-related questions into patient histories and using screening tools, they can identify at-risk individuals with up to 80% accuracy, helping to prevent serious health complications like hypertension and heart disease.