Airway disorders are a modern issue and not something seen in the archeological findings of our ancestors. Understanding what causes these issues allows us to create plans to remedy them and improve airway awareness and airway health.
Archeologists are finding that, among early farmers in Southwest Asia some 12,000 years ago, malocclusions and dental crowdings were not common among hunter-gatherers. Studying skeletal remains has shown that class II and III malocclusion did not appear appreciably in humans until the time of the Industrial Revolution.
Many believe that what and how we eat is central to the change we see in our modern jaws. The Paleolithic diet included lots of wild whole grains, nuts, and seeds --- things that caused the jaw and muscles to work. Our more industrial diet includes much softer foods.
Because the development of the jaws and face is highly plastic and affected by the muscles around them, decreased muscle usage has led human faces to grow downwards and become more narrow, leading to less space for all of our teeth.
As our jaws have gotten smaller and teeth more crowded over time, our airways have started paying the price. This has caused an increase in pediatric airway disorders which are spawning long-term health issues in adults such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, cancers, and arthritis.
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MALOCCLUSION AND SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING
Watch as Dr. Kevin Boyd takes us back in time via anthropological research demonstrating why we have such a high incidence of malocclusion and sleep-disordered breathing. Most importantly, he will teach us, based on his 30+ years experience as a board-certified pediatric dentist, how to prevent both!
Video from Airway Health Solutions