Sleep apnoea from a dentist's point of view.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to confirm the relevance of knowledge a dentist has regarding obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), considering the fact that based on specific risk factors a dentist may be the first clinician to identify patients who are at risk of being affected by this serious condition.

Methods: The cohort consisted of 53 subjects who underwent a routine dental examination. Anthropometric data and data on tongue size (Mallampati classification), tonsil size (Friedman classification), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and systemic risk factors were recorded in a record sheet. On the basis of the monitored parameters, selected subjects underwent polysomnography in order to objectivise the parameters observed.

Results: Polysomnography confirmed a 96% success rate in our identifying subjects as being at high risk of developing OSA. This indicates that the parameters monitored during a routine dental examination were properly selected to identify patients with this condition in advance.

Conclusion: The relevance of information dentists have about the early identification of patients with OSA may be crucial in the management of further therapy to be provided to these patients.