Somnology 101: a primer on sleep disorders, their impact on society, and a role for dentistry.

Michael S Simmons

Journal: Journal of the California Dental Association 2012;40(2):131-9

PMID: 22416632

Abstract

Sleep is necessary for our existence. It is one-third of a commitment to health along with nutrition and exercise. While we spend one-third of our lives asleep, studies show one-third of the U.S. population suffers with a significant sleep disorder at some point in their lifetime. This manuscript introduces sleep and sleep disorders, focuses on those sleep disorders within the domain of dentistry, and addresses contributions the dental community can make toward specific sleep problems.

Address: Department of Oral Medicine and Orofacial Pain, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles 90024, USA.

Link outs

Free resources

Medical:

https://medlineplus.gov/sleepdisorders.html

MeSH Terms: Dentists, Humans, Mass Screening, Patient Care Team, Professional Role, Sleep, Sleep Apnea Syndromes, Sleep Bruxism, Sleep Wake Disorders, Snoring