According to a 2018 National Center for Health Statistics report, over 31% of adults report insufficient sleep. Even more concerning, nearly 73% of students in grades 9–12 also report difficulty with insufficient sleep. Add to this the staggering statistic of 1.1 million adult emergency room visits for high blood pressure between 2017–2018. Why is it that in the U.S., a country with vast resources in technology and medicine, we see such alarming trends? Perhaps the answers are found, literally, right under our noses.
Snoring, mouth-breathing, and restless sleep are no longer considered annoyances that disrupt our daily lives and social agenda. Current scientific evidence points to sleep-disordered breathing, whether in children or adults, as the new “enemy” that, if ignored, jeopardizes our health and well-being.
Dr. Karen Bonuck is a professor of family and social medicine, as well as obstetrics and gynecology and women’s health at Einstein College of Medicine. In a study of 11,000 children, Dr. Bonuck and researchers found that young children with sleep-disordered breathing were from 40 to 100 percent more likely to develop neurobehavioral problems by age 7, compared with children without breathing problems. Dr. Bonuck recommends that parents who suspect their child may suffer from sleep-disordered breathing symptoms contact their child’s pediatrician to evaluate the condition.
Many adults are unaware that the root cause of some health problems, such as hypertension, heart disease, and even types of cancer, can be traced back to early childhood struggles with breathing and poor sleep quality. These problems can continue throughout adolescence and worsen well into adult years. Early diagnosis by pediatricians and sleep medicine doctors is essential in order to detect and treat issues with breathing and sleep before damage occurs to the body.
Airway Orthodontics Near Me
Our dentist in Oakbrook provides airway orthodontics for patients who need a good night’s rest. You can call us today at (630) 592-4949 or schedule an appointment online to learn more about airway dentistry.