Most people think sleep apnea means an overweight man in his 60s. That stereotype nearly kept me and my entire family from getting diagnosed for decades.
I was in my 30s, 40s, and 50s. Fit. Lean. Eating well. Still, I had undiagnosed sleep apnea. I wasn’t waking up tired, but I was more irritable than I should have been. The truth is that I didn’t even realize what I was missing! The medical system didn’t catch it—dental sleep medicine did.
Lately I’ve been getting a flood of questions from readers about snoring, teeth grinding, daytime fatigue, restless sleep, and kids who mouth breathe. These are all signs of sleep-disordered breathing. This isn’t just about being tired. It affects judgment, mood, creativity, memory—your entire cognitive life.
There is a strong link between sleep disorders and anxiety and depression. Yet when people are diagnosed with anxiety or depression, they’re rarely screened for sleep issues. I imagine a future where that changes. I believe that future starts with dentists.
Dentists are the only healthcare providers who see the airway up close. We see how jaws are developing. We listen to how patients breathe. We observe what happens to their breathing when they’re lying back in a chair, similar to what happens to their breathing perhaps when lying in bed. We see up close the subtle signs—grinding, erosion, tongue scalloping, dry mouth. We’re in a position to ask better questions.
Sleep is the root. In my practice, I’ve seen it again and again. Once a patient’s sleep improves, everything else becomes easier. Blood sugar, depression, anxiety all stabilize. Blood pressure improves. Cravings quiet down. The brain finally has time to repair.
That’s been true for my own family. Once my wife and I fixed our sleep disordered breathing, it changed everything. Our daughters are still working through it. Two are in the middle of MARPE. Just yesterday, my four-year-old grandson got his first palate expander from an airway-focused orthodontist. Sleep isn’t a side project. It’s the project.
If you’re going to focus on one thing, make it sleep. Not diet. Not exercise. Fix sleep first, and everything else becomes doable.
Here are my must-haves for quality sleep. If you’re ready to fix your sleep, I recommend you check out my book.
1. Mouth tape + mandibular advancement device
I wear a custom oral appliance (I made mine, but any airway-trained dentist can make you one—find one near you here and here) to keep my airway open. I tape my mouth to encourage nasal breathing.
2. Vinyl + Book
I like to listen to a record or read a book in bed with my wife. Lately I’ve been loving this one. Oura rings and cellphones go into airplane mode. No screentime!
3. Walk after dinner
I treasure these post-dinner walks with my wife. Plus they help us both with digestion, blood sugar, and circadian rhythm.
4. No food after dinner
Your body needs to clear digestion before it can make melatonin. Late-night snacks delay that.
5. Magnesium + digestive enzymes
I take this magnesium and these enzymes 1-2 hours before bed. Magnesium helps with sleep quality, muscle recovery, and calm. Enzymes help me digest dinner fully to support absorbing the amino acids needed to make melatonin.
👉 Today’s the last day to get the Prime Day discount on MassZymes and Magnesium Breakthrough—don’t miss out on your chance to stock up at 30% off.
6. Brush, floss, tongue scrape
I use a Fygg stainless steel tongue scraper, a Philips Sonicare brush, and Fygg nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste.
The expensive DiamondClean Sonicare is what I use in all my videos, but don’t buy it. This $20 model works just as well.
The only useful upgrade when it comes to electric toothbrushes is perhaps the pressure sensor (link to the one I recommend which is 50% off for Prime Day)—but if you’re on a budget, you can brush with your non-dominant hand. No matter which electric toothbrush you go with, make sure you throw out the toothbrush head the brush comes with, and only use “sensitive” heads.
If you have a question about your sleep, I want to hear about it—I’ll be writing more about sleep in coming newsletters. Hit reply and tell me.
-Dr. B
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P.S. One of my patients said treating her sleep disordered breathing gave her the courage to finally get out of a dysfunctional relationship. Another said treatment gave him back evenings with his kids.
If you’re a dentist who wants to learn more about fixing your patients’ sleep, I’d love for you to join my CE course, which will be offered virtually. Hit reply and my team will get you signed up for the waitlist.