Board-Certified Dentist, TMJ Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine
A dentist board certified in jaw pain and dental sleep medicine, Michael Bennett traces teeth grinding back to the airway, the nervous system, and even the pelvic floor.
In this conversation
Michael Bennett, DDS, PhD, is a board-certified dentist who has practiced aspects of dentistry for 27 years, with board certification in jaw and TMJ pain disorders and in dental sleep medicine. He also holds a PhD in Healthcare Professions Education and teaches both dentists and the general public about the link between oral health and whole-body wellness. Early in his career, patients kept returning with cracked and worn-down teeth, which led him to ask what was generating that much force during sleep.
The research pointed to reflex jaw activity triggered when the nervous system shifts into a fight-or-flight state, often because of disordered breathing. Rather than repeatedly repairing the same teeth, Bennett began asking where the airway was blocked, imaging from the nose to the vocal cord area and treating with oral devices, myofunctional therapy, and nasal support. He works alongside pulmonologists, sleep physicians, allergy specialists, and nutritionists, and also screens for PTSD, chronic pain, and nutritional deficiencies that can keep clenching going.
On Healing at Your Core, Bennett and Bree Allred compare notes from opposite ends of the same body. They discuss the trigeminal nerve and the brain's investment in the face, why nose breathing supports diaphragmatic breathing and a calmer nervous system, and how pelvic inflammation or a difficult delivery can show up as bruxism. Their conversation about the jaw and pelvic floor connection also covers children, bedwetting, and when airway expansion comes before surgery.
EP. 06 · Aug 20, 2026
Michael Bennett, DDS explains how jaw pain, sleep, and airway health connect to pelvic floor function, plus root cause fixes for kids and adults alike.
Watch, listen, and read the episodeA few grounded takeaways from Michael’s conversation with Bree.
Bennett found that reflex jaw movement during sleep breaks down teeth when the nervous system shifts into fight or flight, most often because of disordered breathing, but also from PTSD, chronic pain, or nutritional deficiencies.
Both regions are richly supplied by the nervous system. Bennett describes pelvic inflammation, a difficult delivery, or a separated pubic symphysis as triggers that can increase clenching, just as airway problems can raise pelvic tension.
Rather than accepting a CPAP prescription without further evaluation, Bennett images the upper airway from the nose to the vocal cord area to locate constriction, then builds a plan over roughly five to six months with other specialists.
The nose heats, humidifies, and filters air and adds nitric oxide. Mouth breathing is tied to lower oxygen and upper chest breathing, while nasal breathing supports the diaphragm, which coordinates closely with the pelvic floor.
Bree rules out constipation first, then looks for an underlying sleep issue. Bennett often starts with airway expansion, whole foods, hydration, and better sleep habits before considering tonsil and adenoid surgery.
Explore more guest features or hear the full episode with Michael Bennett.
