Podcast Summary: The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Episode: 1KHO 626 – “Our Children Are Being Medicated for Being Tired”

Guest: Dr. Kalli Hale, Founder of Airway Dentists & Toothpillow
Host: Jenny Urchin
Original Air Date: November 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This pivotal episode explores the vital—yet often overlooked—connection between children’s airway health, jaw development, sleep quality, and the cascade of symptoms often misdiagnosed as behavioral or psychological problems (like ADHD and ODD). Dr. Kalli Hale, a leader in airway-centric dentistry, joins Jenny Urchin to discuss why children are increasingly fatigued, how sleep-disordered breathing manifests, and how early, functional interventions can alter the course of both childhood and adult health. The conversation also introduces the Toothpillow appliance as a revolutionary, accessible tool for improving jaw development and airway health from childhood through adulthood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Breadth and Urgency of the Issue

• Childhood is a fleeting period—about 9.5 million minutes—and how we nurture those years shapes lifelong health.
• Quote: “Our children are being medicated for being tired. They're being medicated for things that are related to obstructive sleep apnea. And the parents are never being told, 'Hey, how does your child sleep at night?'”
  — Dr. Kalli Hale [05:01]
• Until recently, neither mainstream dentistry nor parents recognized that sleep, breathing, jaw structure, and oral habits are deeply intertwined.

2. Connecting the Dots: Sleep Disordered Breathing & Childhood Symptoms

• Sleep Disordered Breathing Spectrum: Begins with mouth breathing, progresses to snoring, tooth grinding, gasping, and can lead to full-blown obstructive sleep apnea.
  — Dr. Hale [08:03]
• Symptoms include: bedwetting, bags under eyes, hyperactivity, anxiety, headaches, snoring, night terrors, and more.
• Many children receive behavioral diagnoses (ADHD, ODD) and medication without ruling out sleep/breathing issues via sleep studies.
• Quote: “Any sort of snoring is not good. It's impaired air. If they are snoring at all, they need to be seen by a dentist.”
  — Jenny Urchin [12:23]

3. The Anatomy Behind Sleep and Jaw Development

• The structure of the nasal-maxillary complex determines nasal breathing ability.
  — Dr. Hale [16:00–17:35]
• A narrow palate pushes into the nasal airway, sometimes even causing deviated septum (often considered genetic, but frequently developmental).
• Early jaw interventions—ideally before age 12—can profoundly impact a child’s present comfort and future health.

4. Why the Shift? How Orthodontics and Dentistry Fell Behind

• Myofunctional therapy and functional appliances date back 50–75 years but were removed from dental curricula for decades due to politics and lack of awareness.
• The American Dental Association only began recommending sleep disorder screening for children in 2017.
• Quote: “There's zero evidence that kids grow out of tooth grinding or snoring. If your child does it, so will the adult.”
  — Dr. Hale [25:10]

5. Long-term Ramifications: Adult Health Starts in Childhood

• Children with untreated sleep-disordered breathing often become adults with tooth grinding, sleep apnea, and related health issues (heart disease, early strokes, cognitive issues).
• Notable Statistic: Severe sleep apnea increases risk of heart attack by 30% over 10 years. [28:21]
• “Your mouth breathing is probably going to be what kills you.”
  — Dr. Hale [27:10]

6. The Cost of Early vs. Delayed Intervention

• Traditional braces typically address only the cosmetic aspects and often involve tooth extractions—which may worsen long-term stability and health.
• Expanding jaws (not extracting teeth) addresses both function and appearance, with early interventions being less invasive, more cost-effective, and improving sleep/behavior/learning.
• Quote: “You either pay now, or you pay later. And if you pay later, you pay a lot more.”
  — Jenny Urchin [34:58]

7. The Role of Nutrition, Habits, and Early Screening

• Historic populations (see Dr. Weston A. Price’s work) had wide, healthy jaws—no crowding, no wisdom teeth extractions—due to tougher diets and natural chewing.
• Early breastfeeding, baby-led weaning, encouraging chewing, and monitoring for mouth breathing/lip/tongue ties all contribute to healthy jaw and airway development.
• Quote: “We have to make sure our children are nasal breathers—first and foremost.”
  — Dr. Hale [17:15]

8. Myofunctional Therapy: The Missing Piece

• Described simply as physical therapy for the tongue and mouth: “The myofunctional therapist is going to teach you how to use your tongue—which is a weird thing to think about.”
  — Dr. Hale [45:16]
• Essential for the success and stability of jaw treatments; it's not just about spacing but also muscular habits.
• Tongue thrust and improper swallow can cause or relapse orthodontic corrections if not addressed.

9. Access & Innovation: The Toothpillow Approach

• Toothpillow combines expert-directed screening, virtual care, and in some regions, in-person partnerships to deliver airway/alignment care to families everywhere.
• Target age: Starting at age 3, but adolescents and adults can benefit as well. [07:34, 50:00]
• Platform includes extensive education (see @toothpill_official on Instagram) to help parents spot symptoms and seek help.
• Quote: “We've tried to just bring it in a way that is as affordable as possible. ... The myofunctional therapy being part of our group is absolutely essential to success for these families.”
  — Dr. Hale [43:33]

10. Adult Interventions and an Expanding Model of Care

• 93% of Americans have some level of jaw malocclusion; adult care is more complex, costlier, and sometimes requires surgical or advanced dental intervention.
• Toothpillow is piloting partnerships and programs to make adult functional orthodontics more accessible, combining in-office diagnostics with remote monitoring to reduce travel and costs. [50:00–52:19]
• Message of Hope: Even adults who suffered for decades can achieve life-changing improvements in energy, concentration, and health.
• Quote: “You don’t even know, as an adult, that maybe you're dealing with [sleep-disordered breathing] because you’re used to your dysfunction.”
  — Dr. Hale [56:05]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dental Curriculum & Medical Blindspots:
  “Airway was nowhere in our arena at all—even for my parents.”
  — Dr. Hale [03:43]

• On the Impact for Families:
  “You are going to get your baby back. ... All I did was make sure that they were breathing right when they’re sleeping.”
  — Dr. Hale [13:06]

• On Early, Proactive Screening:
  “I do want it to be the thing I’m remembered for: Start as early as possible.”
  — Dr. Hale [22:54]

• On the Emotional Weight:
  “It makes them cry because they want that so much.”
  — Dr. Hale, on parents finding hope after years of struggle [13:06]

• On Making This the New Normal:
  “Why aren't we screening for it?”
  — Dr. Hale [53:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:01] – The problem: children being medicated for symptoms that may be rooted in sleep-disordered breathing
• [08:03]–[11:05] – Explaining the sleep-disordered breathing spectrum, practical warning signs, and next steps
• [12:23]–[17:15] – Functional consequences: school performance, behavior, anxiety, and anatomical links
• [25:10]–[28:21] – How childhood jaw problems predict adult health outcomes (including heart attack risk)
• [34:58] – Financial and emotional costs: pay now or pay (more) later
• [45:16]–[49:03] – Myofunctional therapy explained and its practical application
• [50:00–52:19] – Adult sleep apnea, interventions, and the growing accessibility of new treatment models
• [56:05] – Adapting to dysfunction: why adults may not realize they can feel better

Takeaways for Listeners

• For parents: Monitor your child’s breathing habits and sleep quality early. Mouth breathing, snoring, and even subtle jaw misalignments are far from “just cosmetic.”
• For adults: Lifelong patterns can be changed—don’t assume you’re “stuck” with fatigue, poor sleep, or jaw pain.
• For all: Early functional interventions (like Toothpillow), paired with myofunctional therapy, can prevent decades of health challenges and radically improve quality of life.
• Empowerment: Being informed means you can help your child (or yourself) avoid unnecessary medications, improve focus, sleep, and health, and reclaim a brighter, more energized future.

To learn more or connect with Dr. Kalli Hale & Toothpillow:
Visit Toothpillow.com or check out @toothpill_official on Instagram.

Discounts mentioned in episode:
Listeners using code 1000hours get special offers—see episode notes or the Toothpillow site for details. [See 00:15, 59:25]

This summary preserves the compassionate, hopeful, and practical tone of the conversation, distilling technical explanations without losing speaker intent or the episode’s warmth.