Breathing is something we do automatically to stay alive and therefore most of us don’t think twice about it. It is perfectly natural to breathe through your mouth at certain times, e.g. B. when walking or lifting heavy objects. However, when breathing is habitually done through the mouth, it can lead to many health problems. These problems can be particularly serious for children, as mouth breathing can affect long-term development of the face and jaw.

So why breathe through your mouth?

Normal breathing is when we breathe through our nose with our mouth closed. The most obvious reason for someone to be a Noson mouth breather is that they can’t get enough air through their nose. Common reasons for blocked nasal passages are:

• Allergies – which can cause polyps or swelling of the lining of the nose
• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
• Deviated nasal septum
• Respiratory infections – cold or flu

Signs that may indicate nasal breathing problems or airway obstruction include:

• snoring, sleep apnea
• Frequent upper respiratory infections
• Sounding “stuffy” during the day/night
• Dark circles under the eyes

Effects on teeth, jaws and posture

As mentioned earlier, mouth breathing can lead to many health problems, especially dental health problems. Breathing through the mouth causes salivation and dry mouth, which can increase the risk of tooth decay and gingivitis.

Mouth breathing can also lead to changes in jaw and facial growth. The tongue’s normal resting position is against the palate to balance the forces of the cheeks, but when a person breathes through the mouth, the tongue lowers. This results in narrowing of the upper jaw and lengthening of the lower jaw, resulting in a long, narrow face shape typically known as “long face syndrome”. Due to the narrowing of the jaws, crowding of the teeth, overbite problems and misalignments can be identified.

Adjusting head posture is another effect that can result. Chronic mouth breathers tend to tilt their heads back and lean their heads forward in front of their shoulders to keep the airway open. While this allows them to breathe better, it can lead to neck and back problems in the long run.

Treatment

Treatment for mouth breathing depends on the underlying cause. This requires a multidisciplinary approach where your dentist, family doctor, ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist and sleep medicine specialist can be involved in determining the treatment needed. Treatment may include prescription of certain medications, surgery and myofunctional therapy, and breathing exercises.

Airway obstruction is a common cause of mouth breathing, and a full evaluation by an ENT is sometimes needed to decide on treatment for the obstruction. Certain medications can often be prescribed to increase nasal airflow and reduce obstructions such as nasal congestion and polyps. More complicated blockages, such as enlarged tonsils or adenoids, may require surgery to remove them.

Sometimes, even after the airway obstruction has cleared, mouth breathing is still present, as has become a habit. If this is the case, myofunctional therapy along with targeted breathing and muscle exercises can help establish nasal breathing. Exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the face, as well as special oral devices, promote nasal breathing, and therefore can support proper growth and facial development. This is imperative for young children as they are still growing.

Your dentist can help

Mouth breathing is a serious problem that can impact general health and dental health. Our task as dentists is to identify mouth breathing early, especially in children, to treat it and, if necessary, to refer it to the appropriate specialists. The sooner we address this condition, the more likely we can reverse the effects. This means a healthier life, a more natural face and profile, and a beautiful, healthy smile.

Trouble breathing through your nose

Difficulty breathing through your nose can be annoying for most, but can be socially awkward for some. The good news is that this can often be treated fairly easily. In order to determine which treatment is right for you, it is first necessary to determine the cause of the difficulty. Difficulty breathing through the nose or congestion in the nasal airways can be due to anatomical abnormalities on the inside of the nose, collapse of the nose while breathing, or congestion due to allergies and sinus disorders. A thorough examination by a knowledgeable physician is necessary to delineate the cause and suggest treatment.

The nose can be imagined as a tripod. The middle part of the inside of the nose is called the nasal septum. The septum consists of both cartilage and bone. Sometimes, due to trauma or genetics, this can deviate and result in congestion on one or both sides of the nose. This alone can cause difficulty breathing through the nose or be accompanied by other problems. In patients who have previously broken their nose, the outside of the nose may be obviously bent, causing difficulty breathing. Functional problems can occur, with the nose literally collapsing when you inhale. Both problems often require surgical correction. When surgery is performed, it is important that the doctor considers not only the functional but also the cosmetic appearance of the nose during the operation.

Nasal breathing can also be made difficult by nasal congestion caused by allergies and sinus disorders. There is a growing understanding that sinus disorders and allergies are related and likely on a continuum. In patients with chronic nasal allergies, the nasal mucosa becomes inflamed, making it difficult to breathe. This swelling of the mucosa or nasal lining can also cause the sinus drainage pathways to become blocked, requiring surgical drainage of the sinuses to relieve pressure, pain, and chronic runny nose. The turbinates , structures inside the nose on the outer wall of the nose that normally serve to humidify the air you breathe in, can also enlarge and obstruct the nose. Trimming these shells may be necessary to open the nose and restore normal breathing.

In addition to surgery, long-term allergy control will likely be needed in patients with chronic runny nose and allergy symptoms. Identifying the offending substance is the first step in solving allergy problems. When the offending allergen is removed from the environment, allergy problems often resolve. If not, procedures can be performed to desensitize the person to the allergen.

Unfortunately, nasal airway obstruction is sometimes not as simple as an anatomical or sinus problem, it can be related to abnormal growths and sometimes to cancer. Examination with a flexible endoscope through the nose is always warranted Noson Nasen Dilatator in cases of nasal airway obstruction to ensure the absence of cancer. Although uncommon, the consequences of a missed diagnosis would be devastating. It’s important that you see a doctor who specializes in nasal disorders if you are considering nasal airway obstruction before simply treating the symptoms.

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