Episode 10: Dr. Carly Jacobs - Dental Sleep Medicine Specialist

Snoring isn't just annoying; it can be a warning sign that your airway is quietly damaging your health. In this episode of The Hrithik Sangani Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Carly Jacobs, DMD, a Diplomate of both the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine, and one of the most compelling voices working at the intersection of dentistry, sleep, and longevity. In this conversation, Dr. Jacobs breaks down everything from what your airway has to do with how well you sleep to the cutting-edge treatments most people have never heard of. In this episode, we cover: ‣ What dental sleep medicine actually is and why a dentist, not just an MD/DO, treats sleep-related breathing disorders ‣ Why sleep is the third pillar of longevity (alongside diet and exercise), and how chronic under-sleeping shortens healthspan and accelerates aging ‣ The hidden signs of sleep apnea most people miss: clenching, grinding, jaw size, and even behavioral problems in children ‣ How a compromised airway drives chronic disease: nighttime oxygen desaturation, hypoxia, and the surprising link between sleep disorders and circulation issues ‣ Why CPAP is the gold standard, but why so many patients abandon it, and some alternatives, such as custom-made oral appliances ‣ Practical sleep optimization: melatonin dosage, blue light blockers, nasal and mouth strips, and blackout curtains Whether you snore, struggle with your CPAP machine, suspect you might have sleep apnea, or simply want to understand how sleep shapes your long-term health and healthspan, this episode is packed with insights you can actually use. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introductions 01:48 - What is dental sleep medicine? 04:25 - What is obstructive sleep apnea? 07:18 - Difference between a dental sleep medicine specialist vs a sleep doctor? 11:06 - CPAP vs Oral Appliances 15:23 - Dr. Jacob's epiphany about sleep medicine 17:46 - Why is sleep important? 22:21 - Melatonin 26:00 - Blackout curtains 29:08 - Nose strips, mouth tape, and the importance of nasal breathing 34:30 - What are the symptoms of sleep apnea? 46:00 - What is the connection between sleep-related breathing disorders & facial pain disorders? 48:44 - How severe does snoring have to be to get a sleep test? 51:30 - How jaw size affects breathing 54:20 - Differences between adults and children on why each develops sleep-related breathing disorders 59:55 - If your airway is left untreated from a young age, what does that cumulated sleep debt look like over time? 1:06:00 - How does the hypoxia contribute to the development of chronic disease over time? 1:09:00 - What is the effect of snoring over time? 1:11:00 - Why is Dr. Jacobs most concerned with cardiac health 1:20:00 - What is cold laser therapy and platelet-rich fibrin? 1:31:20 - Closing 🔗 LINKS & MORE 📩 Read my Substack, My Climb to DO: https://substack.com/@hrithiksangani 📸 Follow me on Instagram:   / hrithiksangani   🦷 Dr. Carly Jacobs & the Pain and Sleep Therapy Center Website: https://pscmainline.com/ Instagram:   / painandsleeptherapycenterofpa   #sleepapnea #dentalsleepmedicine #longevity #cpaptherapy #snoring #sleephealth #preventivemedicine #oralappliancetherapy #healthspan