Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
Being healthy means eating right, getting enough rest, exercising regularly and avoiding bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol. Did you know that the way you breathe also impacts your health and wellness? Regular breathing through the mouth can cause a host of problems, especially during childhood. We explore that topic in greater detail, today on the blog.
What is mouth breathing?
When you breathe through the mouth, you’re bringing in and exhaling much more air than you actually need. This surplus of air is a less efficient method of breathing. Your airway dries out and then constricts, which limits the amount of oxygen that can be absorbed by the alveoli—lung structures that filter oxygen and carbon dioxide into the bloodstream.
What causes mouth breathing?
We all breathe through the mouth on occasion, such as due to sinus congestion.
Chronic mouth breathing typically results from any combination of the following:
- Incorrect tongue placement
- Congestion due to allergies or a sinus infection
- Enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids
- Polyps in the nose
- A deviated septum
For someone who breathes regularly through the mouth, this behavior develops as an unconscious habit. You may not realize you’re doing it, but the consequences on your health can be significant.
The potential impacts of mouth breathing
If your child is mouth breathing, it has an impact on facial and jaw development.
Specifically, your child will be predisposed to develop a narrow jaw, which can lead to:
- Crowding in the mouth
- A longer facial structure, also known as long face syndrome
- Developing an overbite or underbite
- A narrow airway
Mouth breathing also can exacerbate a host of pre-existing conditions:
- Growth of any malignant tumors that are present
- Multiplication of existing bacteria for anyone suffering from sinusitis
- Worsening any existing inflammation in the GI tract
- Encouraging the spread of certain skin conditions, especially pathogens like psoriasis and eczema
Mouth breathing and its effect on the airway make you more susceptible to developing a sleep breathing disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea. Living with sleep apnea deprives you of the rest and recuperation that occur during the deepest stage of sleep, while also affecting your mental function and raising your risk of several serious, chronic health conditions.
Know the signs of mouth breathing in your child
Children who breathe through the mouth often show any combination of these symptoms:
- Teeth grinding
- Snoring
- Chronic bad breath
- Fatigue
- Poor sleep quality
- Memory problems
- Anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating
How can your dentist help?
Functional orthodontics can represent a solution to your child’s mouth breathing issue. Whereas traditional orthodontic treatment with braces usually occurs when a person reaches adolescence, functional orthodontics entails using orthodontic appliances early in childhood to promote an optimum pattern of facial growth. This treatment is grounded in the theory of orthotropics.
Under the guidance of Dr. Max and Dr. Ariana, Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry also offers two different methods to treat mouth breathing correctly: myofunctional therapy and Buteyko breathing. To learn more about either of these methods and how your child can benefit, schedule a consultation at our office in Scotts Valley today. Just call (831) 438-4411 or contact us online.
