If you’re a man who is slightly overweight and also suffering from irritability, crankiness, and sleepiness, perhaps your dentist can help diagnose what ails you.

The reason: those are some signs of sleep apnea, and recent studies note that dentists are

“Dentists see into their patient’s mouths more than physicians do and the signs are easy to identify,” said Thikriat Al-Jewair, clinical assistant professor in the UB School of Dental Medicine.

far better diagnosticians of this than specialized doctors, according to  Thikriat Al-Jewair, orthodontic researcher at Buffalo University.

A worldreportnow.com  report explains that because dentists are far more used to seeing the tongue and the uvula of a patient than a clinic physician or a cardiologist, they would quickly recongize two visible signs of the illness:  enlarged tonsils and indentations on the tongue caused by teeth pressure.

Sleep apnea is serious business. When left untreated  it can trigger other, more complicated diseases such as diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disorders, and depression. Also, patients that suffer from sleep apnea are more prone to having a stroke.

View the full story at www.worldreportnow.com

“Dentists see into their patient’s mouths more than physicians do and the signs are easy to identify,” says Al-Jewair, clinical assistant professor in the UB School of Dental Medicine.

“We need to teach students about this condition before they get out in the field and educate dentists about the major role they play in identifying and treating patients with sleep-related disorders.”

The study, “Prevalence and risks of habitual snoring and obstructive sleep apnea symptoms in adult dental patients,” was published last month in the Saudi Medical Journal and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research grant from the University of Dammam.

Learn more about the study at: https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2016/03/022.html#sthash.fnbUs3G3.dpuf