Dentists and their teams are uniquely positioned to screen for sleep apnea and craniofacial pain. Why? Because they are trained to evaluate the entire patient. And with dentists seeing patients at least twice a year, they can recognize traits, characteristics, and behaviors that may predispose patients to various systemic conditions. It is time to consider screening for sleep apnea and craniofacial pain in your dental practice.

Globally, about 1 billion people between the ages of 30 and 69 have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The prevalence of OSA continues to rise and affect all countries, especially as it is driven by an increase in obesity, a major risk factor for sleep apnea.

On top of that, craniofacial pain appears to occur in about 10% of the adult population, with women affected two times more than men. And it is one of the most common causes of chronic pain after back, neck, and knee pain. Yet, while acute pain in the craniofacial area is often tooth-related, chronic craniofacial pain is most commonly related to musculoskeletal disorders such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs).

Any way you look at it, OSA and craniofacial pain are interrupting the lives of individuals across the globe. Knowing the prevalence of these conditions signals a growing need to provide relief for patients with these conditions, and dentists are in a unique position to do so.

As dentists, we are committed to providing our patients with relief from their conditions. However, it is vital that dentists advance their education to learn more about dental sleep medicine and craniofacial pain in order to provide proper care.