The Root Cause Medicine Podcast is created by Rupa Health, the best way to order, track & manage results from 30+ lab companies in one place for free. The Root Cause Medicine Podcast is a weekly one-on-one conversation with renowned medical experts, specialists, and pioneers who are influencing the way we look at our health and well-being. This week we’re joined by Dr. Bahar Esmaili, Director of Clinical Education at Rinovive. In this episode, Dr. Bahar Esmaili talks about dysfunctional breathing, the childhood development of our jaw and facial structures, and how that can impact our health in our adult life. Dr. Esmaili places a great emphasis on the relationship between oral health and overall well-being. She has undertaken multiple advanced education courses that delve into the connection between various aspects of the body, including gait, posture, the alignment of the jaw joint, and tension in facial muscles and how they relate to teeth structure and the airway. Dr. Esmaili is the Director of Clinical Education at Rinovive, Lead Clinical Director at Vivos Institute, and Strategic Advisor for the Council of Innovative Dentistry at 3M. Previously, she worked as a dentist for various companies and received a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Colorado Denver School of Dental Medicine. Key Takeaways: What are TMJ and TMD? TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects the jawbone to the skull. TMD is a term used to describe a range of conditions that affect the TMJ and the surrounding muscles and tissues. Some of its symptoms include pain or tenderness in the jaw, difficulty chewing or opening the mouth wide, as well as headaches or earaches. Teeth and total body health Teeth are not born with us but come into the equation later, and they can affect our overall body health. The hinge of our jaw is directly aligned with the two first two vertebrae in our neck. All the muscles making the hinge of the jaw happen are directly affected by the position of the lower jaw. So if the lower jaw is far back or is hiding on there, you have a neck issue. When the mandible is tucked underneath an underdeveloped maxilla, it can push against the airway, leading to breathing difficulties. This causes the head to go into a forward posture, resulting in neck issues and affecting the curvature of the spine from top to bottom. Environmental factors and facial development Environmental factors such as chewing functions, swallowing correctly with the tongue at the roof of the mouth, and breathing through the nose are necessary for facial development between ages four to seven. Lack of breastfeeding and tongue tie can lead to various issues in children, such as a stuck back jaw, pushing the tongue and palate against the airway, making it difficult for them to breathe. This leads to further problems such as jaw issues, TMJ headaches, and back problems. Understanding sleep breathing disorder The growing epidemic of mouth breathing in children due to underdevelopment of the sinuses and nasal passages can lead to symptoms such as noisy breathing, mouth breathing, snoring, sleep apnea, ADHD, fatigue, and brain fog. Some causes might include misalignment effects on the body, including masking pain with neurotransmitters, metabolic and neurotransmitter issues, an overactive immune system, or narrower airway difficulty reaching the deep sleep stage necessary for hormone regulation.