pediatric sleep screening

As dental providers we are in a unique position to help identify sleep disordered breathing as many of the signs start in the mouth. We also collect a full medical history and use screening tools such as the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire to see if further screening or referrals are warranted. Research has demonstrated the benefits of early intervention in treating children with sleep disordered breathing to prevent lifelong illness. We want our littlest patients to have the best chance at developing into happy healthy adults!

Does your child need a sleep screening? If you can answer YES to any of the following signs/symptoms then YES we recommend a thorough assessment and sleep screening.

 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING

  • Mouth Breathing

  • Small or set back jaws

  • Crowded/crooked teeth

  • Erosion/wear on teeth

  • Cavities/Decay

  • Gum Disease

  • TMJ pain/noises

  • Chapped Lips

  • Moving around a lot while sleeping

  • Venous Pooling beneath the eyes- dark circles beneath the eyes

  • Changes in head posture - posturing the head forward and/or tipping the forehead backwards

  • Tongue-tie and or lip-ties

  • Hyperactive behavior*

  • Tongue-thrusting

  • Improper tongue rest position

  • ​Deviated septum

  • Tonsil and Adenoid Problems - Chronic sinus problems, throat problems

  • Snoring – Snoring is not a natural thing for children

  • Loud grinding of teeth during sleep

  • Bed wetting (non-age appropriate)

  • Reflux in the Eustachian Tube

  • Frequent ear infections

  • Chronic sinus infections

  • Allergies

  • Clenching/grinding

  • Difficulty swallowing, gagging

  • Picky eating

  • Thumb/finger sucking or similar noxious habits

​​​BENEFITS OF EARLY EXAMINATION, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT:

  1. Removes harmful factors influencing growth

  2. Excellent ages for growth guidance and restoring normal growth

  3. Assist in improving the psychological well-being of the child

  4. Saves some patients from future jaw surgery

  5. Can assist in building better bites and smiles - preventing crowded/crooked teeth


*Blocked airways and poor tongue posture can trigger excess adrenaline. Many studies have shown compromised airways and improper breathing as a contributing factor to ADHD in children. Many serious sleep issues can be attributed to poorly formed airways (including the oral cavity!).

Sleep Image Assessment

The sleep screening we use is by Sleep Image. It is an easy to use ring that is worn on middle or thumb finger for 2 nights. It connects via Bluetooth to your phone (app download required) and will automatically upload the results to us. During sleep our parasympathetic nervous system should be in control. The parasympathetic nervous system is our rest, relax, and recuperate system. This is when our body can heal physically and emotionally. It is also when memories are stored. During sleep if our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight system) it is typically due to an airway event. The sleep image system can record these events.

Information we can get for this type of assessment:

SQI- Sleep Quality Index- combination of sleep length, quality of sleep (stable, unstable, and REM)

Sleep Apnea and Respiratory Events- Amount of times apnea (oxygen levels drop by 4% by 10 seconds or more) or respiratory events (oxygen levels drop and for how long)

Sleep Pathology- including frequent waking, heart/pulse rate events.

As dental providers we do not diagnose sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing but can help gather information and refer as needed. Any information collected will be sent to your pediatrician/physician for your child.