Mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MTN) neurons innervate the stretch receptors of the jaw elevator muscles and periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors, Bruxism activates the MTN. We analyzed how MTN cells are structured, their anatomy and physiology, and the effects of their activation.To induce and maintain sleep, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitor neurotransmitter, is released from the ventro-lateral preoptic area of the hypothalamus and acts on the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) nuclei. The GABA neurotrasmitter induces the entry of chlorine into cells, hyperpolarizing and inhibiting these. MTN cells, on the contrary, are depolarized by GABA, as their receptors are activated upon GABA binding. They "let out" chlorine and activate ARAS cells. MTN cells release glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter onto their target cells, in this case onto ARAS cells. During wakefulness, ARAS activation causes cerebral cortex activation; instead, during sleep (sleep bruxism), ARAS activation avoids an excessive reduction in ARAS neurotransmitters, including noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine and glutamate. These neurotransmitters, in addition to activating the cerebral cortex, modulate vital functions such as cardiac and respiratory functions. Polysomnography shows that sleep bruxism is always accompanied by cardiac and respiratory activation and, most importantly, by brain function activation. Bruxism is not a parafunction, and it functions to activate ARAS nuclei.

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In this work we will outline some unknown aspects of the teeth functions, details of their innervations and its relationship with cognitive performance and what happens when the teeth are lost. We will address the relationship between teeth and sleep and will explain how the teeth activate the ascending reticular activator system (ARAS) nuclei and allow the cerebral cortex to respond to any environmental or physiological needs even when sleep is profound. This infers that teeth are an important structure not only for chewing or the smile but also for a better functioning of our central nervous system (CNS); and explaining this correlation, between teeth and brain, is the object this paper. It appears that without teeth there is a great loss of cognite functions. The tie between the mouth and the brain is the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5): a unique nerve formation as it contains the cell bodies of primary afferent sensory neurons; it is the only site of intra-neuraxial ganglion.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a major cause of infant mortality throughout the world, yet its cause and mechanism of action remain poorly understood. Here, we discuss a tool to preventing these deaths: the Heart rate monitors (HRM) and why it can work to prevent SIDS deaths.Death, regardless of cause, occurs exclusively through cardiac arrest, we suggest applying a HRM with programmable alarm sounds that, when properly positioned, could advise an adult when the infant's heart rate decreased beyond a certain threshold, through a sound, a phone call or another mechanism.This would allow the adult to wake the baby and call the doctor or take the child to the emergency room. If our theory is correct, waking the baby will be enough to reactivate the stimulation of the brain stem and save his life. This has the potential to be a low cost means of significantly reducing infant death worldwide and warrants further scientific attention.

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