05/29/2026
When a patient tells me their doctor sent them to the dentist for sleep issues, I’m looking at the root cause of the grind. Is it a volume restriction from nasal vs. mouth breathing? Or maybe an anatomical issue like a retruded jaw that’s physically blocking your airway?
I recently spoke with a patient who was “sleeping” for 9 hours and even trying mouth taping, but her sleep data was still terrible. The problem? She couldn’t actually breathe adequately through her nose. You can’t tape your mouth shut if your nose isn’t doing its job first.
If you’re constantly tired despite being in bed all night, it’s time to look at the volume of your breath, not just the guard on your teeth.