More than 18 million adults in the U.S. suffer from sleep apnea today, and one major reason for that is the shrinking human jaw.

Research shows the human jaw has become significantly smaller since the days of prehistoric hunter-gatherers, further obstructing airways in modern humans. Cue the sleep apnea. 

Why are our jaws betraying us? Paul Ehrlich, Ph.D., explains in his book “JAWS: The Story of a Hidden Epidemic” that this jaw-shrinking has been influenced by biological, cultural and dietary changes over time. We eat softer foods. We live indoors, where allergens are more concentrated. We have an increased propensity toward mouth-breathing, not to mention bad posture.

Anthropologists confirm that not only do the jaws of early humans lack the crowding or misalignment modern jaws often exhibit, they even had enough room for their wisdom teeth. In fact, in an interview with DOCS Education’s Incisor blog, Ehrlich explains there is no evidence that any of our ancestors ever had an off-kilter bite.

“Richard Klein, the top human paleontologist in the world, told me personally that in all the time he has been working with hunter-gatherer skulls, he had never seen one with serious malocclusion [crowding or bad bite],” he said.

We are equipped to handle the majority of your dental needs

We understand the importance of having a dentist you can trust. And that means not being sent off to a different specialist every time you need a new procedure. At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we are equipped to handle the majority of your dental needs from cosmetic to restorative, implants to extractions. When you come to us, you are getting a dental team for life.

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