Identification of Patients at Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Dental Settings

Objectives This study aims to assess the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the Saudi Arabian population at a dental hospital using the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) and investigate the association of gender, age, neck circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and smoking habits with the risk of OSA. Methodology Participants were recruited through random selection from walk-in patients aged between 18 and 80 years. BQ was used to screen for OSA. In addition, age, gender, smoking habits, neck circumference, and blood pressure were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Student's t-test, and chi-square test. Results In this study, 55 participants were screened for OSA using BQ. Of the participants, 44 (80%) were considered to be at low risk of OSA. Age, neck circumference, BMI, SBP, and DBP were statistically significantly associated with high risk of OSA (P < 0.05). Age and neck circumference were found to be statistically significant predictors of OSA, even after controlling for gender and smoking status (P < 0.05). Conclusions BQ is a reliable tool for assessing the risk of OSA in the Saudi Arabian population. Age, neck circumference, BMI, SBP, and DBP are all significant factors of OSA, while age and neck circumference are significant predictors of OSA. Dental practitioners can play a valuable role in the early detection and referral of patients at high risk of OSA.