Dentists can detect sleep apnoea

It is a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to obstructed upper airways. People with large tongues and obese people are at risk of obstructive sleep apnoea. Large tongue has indentations of the teeth on the sides and large tonsils can also obstruct airway. Severe cases of apnea are linked to cardiovascular disorder, depression, memory loss etc. Hence, a dentist who checks the mouth more accurately tend to diagnose enlarged tonsils and tongue more easily and then refer the patient to a physician.