89: Sleep Science Today with Andrew Colsky & guest Dr. Mark Levi

89: Sleep Science Today with Andrew Colsky & guest Dr. Mark Levi

In this eye-opening episode, you'll learn about how teeth, tongues and tiny jaws can shape a lifetime of sleep. Sleep Science Today brings together host Andrew Kolsky and Australian dentist Dr Mark Levi, who jokingly calls himself “just a dumb old dentist” but has spent 25 years focused on breathing and sleep.

Dr Levi shares his own story of lifelong “not breathing” – bedwetting, asthma, jaw pain and, at 40, being told he had one of the worst cases of sleep apnoea despite being slim and otherwise healthy. After struggling with CPAP, he experimented with around 15 different mandibular advancement devices, eventually finding that a well-made dental device stopped his snoring and transformed his sleep. From there, the conversation moves into practical options for obstructive sleep apnoea: CPAP, dental devices, and surgery.

Dr Levi notes that CPAP can be life-changing for some but has a high drop-out rate, especially in younger adults with busy homes and bed partners. Dental devices, he explains, have evolved from crude lab-made gadgets into highly engineered, computer-designed appliances. Where things really get interesting is with children. Dr Levi argues that “80% of kids today… have underdeveloped jaws” and says most health professionals “are unaware” of how much this affects breathing and sleep.

He links modern soft diets, epigenetics and smaller facial bones with crowded mouths, mouth breathing, snoring, behavioural issues and a long list of symptoms from ADHD to bedwetting. His core message? Grow the bones early. Put a simple appliance in a child’s mouth from around four years old to encourage jaw growth, create space for teeth and tongue, and open the airway – all without drugs or surgery.

As he puts it, “Every kid deserves to thrive.” If breathing, snoring or restless nights sound familiar in your home, could jaw size and airway space be the missing clue?