In this episode, Lisa talks with dentist, board-certified dental sleep medicine specialist, and author Dr. Maria Sokolina about the powerful connections between breathing, sleep, oral function, and whole-body health.
Dr. Sokolina shares how her background in cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics led her to recognize that protecting the teeth also requires understanding what happens while a person sleeps. They discuss grinding and clenching, tongue tie, airway development, restless sleep in children, and the ways sleep-disordered breathing can affect energy, behavior, relationships, cardiovascular health, and overall quality of life.
They also explore Dr. Sokolina’s novel, Breathless, which weaves airway and sleep education into an emotional family story. Through themes of love, immigration, cultural adjustment, and personal transformation, the book helps readers recognize symptoms and connections that may otherwise be difficult to understand through science alone.
In this episode:
- Why dentistry, orthodontics, sleep, and airway health are deeply connected
- Signs that a child’s restless or unusual sleep may deserve a closer look
- How breathing and sleep disorders can appear across generations
- The relationship between sleep apnea, grinding, health, and quality of life
- Why storytelling can make complex health information easier to understand
- The responsibility professionals have to translate research for families
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Dr. Maria’s book - Breathless: A Medical Mystery of the Hidden Epidemic
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This podcast is meant for education and conversation only. It is not medical advice and does not replace formal education, professional training, or individualized care from a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek appropriate guidance for individual concerns. The views and opinions shared by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Tongue-tie experts.
