The Health Benefits Of Sleep For Children

The Health Benefits Of Sleep For Children

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Welcome back to More Than Teeth Podcast. In this compelling episode, Dr. Michael Bennett sheds light on a growing and often overlooked crisis: the chronic health problems plaguing children today that may all tie back to one critical issue—compromised breathing and sleep quality.

With growing rates of childhood obesity, ADHD, bedwetting, aggression, anxiety, and crooked teeth, Dr. Bennett asks the critical question: What if many of these conditions are rooted not in behavioral disorders or genetics, but in how our children are breathing and sleeping?

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A Pandemic of Compromised Airways

Across his clinical experience, Dr. Bennett has observed a common denominator in many of the childhood ailments he treats: an underdeveloped airway.

Behind every crowded dental arch, recessed jawline, and high palate lies a vital space we rarely think about—the airway, the tube we use to breathe 22 times a minute. The structures that shape our face—cheekbones, jaw, dental arches—lie directly in front of this breathing tube. When these structures are small or underdeveloped, the airway becomes compressed, and the result is poor-quality breathing.

This airway constriction may manifest in symptoms we don’t always associate with sleep or breathing: attention issues, anxiety, poor school performance, even aggression and defiance. Yet they often share a common cause: the brain’s reaction to chronic oxygen deprivation.

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The Role of Diet, Chewing, and Mouth Breathing

So what causes the underdevelopment of these critical structures in the first place?

Dr. Bennett cites modern dietary habits as a major culprit. Soft, processed foods—the kind that melt in a child’s mouth—fail to activate the facial muscles and bones the way whole, durable foods do. Without resistance and force from chewing, the jaw and facial bones don't receive the signal to grow.

Moreover, the preservatives and allergens in processed foods trigger inflammatory responses, especially in the nasal passages. Congested children turn to mouth breathing—a habit that, when repeated night after night, alters the natural growth trajectory of their face. The tongue, which should rest on the roof of the mouth to stimulate upward and outward expansion, falls to the floor of the mouth during mouth breathing. This absence of upward pressure prevents normal palatal development, resulting in narrow, crowded arches and a recessed jawline.

According to Dr. Bennett, this creates a vicious cycle. Mouth breathing makes nasal breathing more difficult, especially in allergic children. The tongue drops back into the airway, further reducing space and leading to noisy, labored, or gasping breaths during sleep.

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Signs Your Child May Have an Underdeveloped Airway

Dr. Bennett offers practical ways for parents to assess their child’s breathing and development:

• Observe your child sleeping. Is their mouth open? Is their head tilted back? Do they snore or breathe loudly? These are red flags.
  
  
• Look for dry lips or dry teeth. These may indicate chronic mouth breathing.
  
  
• Check for dark circles under the eyes. Known as “allergic shiners,” these suggest poor sleep quality.
  
  
• Notice teeth alignment. Crowded baby teeth or absence of spacing is a predictor of future orthodontic problems and airway restriction.
  
  
• Evaluate posture. A forward head posture—sometimes called the “CPR position”—may be a subconscious attempt to open the airway.
  
  
• Examine their gum health. Red or inflamed gums, even in children who brush and floss, can signal dry mouth and oral bacteria overgrowth due to mouth breathing.
  
  

These signs should not be ignored. They point to a body that is struggling to breathe efficiently during sleep—a condition that can cause significant long-term health issues.

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How Tongue Position and Breastfeeding Shape the Face

Another critical factor in airway development is tongue posture and mobility. A restricted tongue, often caused by tongue-tie, cannot elevate to the roof of the mouth. This deprives the midface and palate of the gentle, consistent pressure needed for normal growth. The result: narrow dental arches, nasal obstruction, and inadequate room for the tongue—causing it to fall backward into the airway during sleep.

Dr. Bennett explains that breastfeeding plays a vital role in early jaw development. During breastfeeding, a baby’s tongue and jaw muscles engage in a way that promotes proper palatal growth. However, due to modern challenges, fewer children breastfeed for the recommended six months or more. Without this natural stimulus, the child’s upper jaw may remain narrow, compromising the nasal airway and increasing the risk for sleep-disordered breathing.

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The Long-Term Consequences: More Than Just Crooked Teeth

We often think of crowded teeth as a cosmetic problem, but Dr. Bennett warns that it’s much more serious. When the jaws are underdeveloped, there isn’t enough room for the tongue, which then blocks the airway during sleep. The consequences of this include:

• ADD/ADHD symptoms
  
  
• Bedwetting
  
  
• Defiance and aggression
  
  
• Poor school performance
  
  
• High blood pressure
  
  
• Diabetes and obesity risks
  
  
• Chronic fatigue and emotional dysregulation
  
  

Citing a study by Dr. Karen Bonuck at the Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Bennett references a six-year study of 11,000 children. The researchers discovered that children diagnosed with ADHD and those with sleep-disordered breathing were nearly indistinguishable in their symptoms. The conclusion: many behavioral problems in children are actually due to sleep deprivation caused by impaired breathing.

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The Bedwetting Connection

One particularly fascinating insight Dr. Bennett shares is the link between bedwetting and airway obstruction. When a child struggles to breathe at night, their heart works harder, blood pressure rises, and the brain triggers the release of hormones that increase urination—leading to nighttime accidents.

In clinical practice, he has seen dramatic improvement in children’s bedwetting within days of treating their airway issues—allowing kids to enjoy normal activities like sleepovers without shame or fear.

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A Path Forward: Early Detection and Treatment

The good news is that parents and caregivers can make a huge difference. Dr. Bennett encourages early screening and intervention to assess for signs of underdeveloped facial structures, mouth breathing, and sleep disruption. Tools like oral appliances and myofunctional therapy can guide jaw growth, improve airway size, and restore nasal breathing.

By helping children breathe through their nose with lips closed and tongue up, we can profoundly improve their long-term health trajectory.

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Conclusion: Protecting the Next Generation

In summary, Dr. Bennett’s message is clear: many chronic issues we see in children today—from ADHD to bedwetting to aggression—may stem not from brain chemistry or parenting, but from sleep and airway dysfunction.

These issues are treatable and often preventable, especially when identified early. Parents, grandparents, teachers, and healthcare providers alike must recognize the warning signs and intervene before these children grow into adults with more complex health problems.

As Dr. Bennett says, “We all want to give our children the best possible start. Helping them sleep and breathe well may be the greatest gift we can offer.”

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