Mouth breathing in children not only affects their oral health, but it also causes many other health issues as well.

Here are 10 changes that can result from mouth-breathing.

Although it’s natural to partly breathe through the mouth when speaking or doing exercise, we are actually born to breathe through our noses, not out mouths! This means, if you breathe through your mouth at night then there is something blocking your nasal cavity preventing a comfortable amount of air to flow in and out, there is a disruption of your normal breathing pattern.

Mouth breathing is a Sleep Breathing Disorder; an abnormal breathing pattern that can have serious effects on your child’s teeth and overall health. It lies on a spectrum of sleep breathing disorders of which obstructive sleep apnea is most severe.

Far from “just a blocked nose”, a nasal airway blockage can stop a child from breathing, speaking, eating, exercising and sleeping properly. Not breathing through the nose has consequences. The nose is our air filter system, designed to warm the air, filter it and remove any particulate matter. Remove this function and it upsets the normal balance between the nose and the oral cavity.

• Enamel wears away on teeth
  As kids grow older they will start to notice discoloration of their teeth. While diets high in sugar and acidic drinks contribute to enamel erosion, so does mouth breathing.
• Dry mouth and lips
  An obvious complaint amongst chronic mouth breathers is dry cracked lips and a dry mouth. Waking up to drink water is a give-away sign. Breathing through the mouth reduces saliva production and increases saliva evaporation. Not only is a dry mouth uncomfortable it can affect an individual’s oral hygiene and dental health, increasing the risk of dental decay and gingivitis. Plus this can lead to bad breath!
• Tongue thrusting is a consequence
  To help create an airway the tongue moves forward and develops what is called an abnormal ‘tongue thrust swallow’. Those with a tongue thrust often have speech disorders. It is most commonly associated with an interdental lisp on “s” and “z” sounds, where the tongue protrudes between the front teeth. A persistent open mouth posture may also be associated with weakness and shortening of the lip muscles, affecting the ability to produce ‘labial’ sounds (“p, b, m, f, v”) clearly and accurately. Oromyofunctional therapists and speech therapy is often needed to address these speech issues AFTER the airway has been unblocked.
• Teeth and palate changes
  When the tongue thrusts, it rests in a forward and downward position and there is constant pressure on the teeth and jaw bone, which may affect the alignment of teeth and jaw development. Moreover, the absence of tongue pressure against the upper palate is also significant. Normal swallowing stimulates the growth and expansion of bone in the roof of the mouth. The bone cells in those sutures are different from those in other parts of our body. They do not grow in accordance with a genetically predetermined outcome. They only grow when stimulated. By age 6, the sutures of the hard palate have knitted together and for those with a tongue thrust, it is often narrow and high. Not surprisingly, mouth breathing is commonly picked up by orthodontists and is associated with overcrowding of teeth and jaw misalignment. Maxillary expanders are often required.
• A long, narrow face can result
  Research shows open mouth breathing can have a serious effect on the growth and development of the jaw, with small receding chins.
• Asthma worsens
  Mouth breathing when you’re an asthmatic is a real concern. NOT using your air filter system – your nose – and directly inhaling air which is dry, cold and contains irritants, pollutants and allergens means asthma is harder to control, thereby increasing the risks of asthma attacks.
• Posture changes
  If you’re in an emergency and need to create an airway, the classic first aid measure is the head tilt. Tilting the head back is the best way to improve an airway. Naturally, when the nose is blocked and a child needs to breathe they will typically tilt their heads backward to give them an airway and maximize their air intake. This means neck, shoulders, back and pelvis are forced to realign, causing posture problems over time. After surgically clearing airways, it is not uncommon for us to refer to oromyofunctional therapists to re-train children to breathe again through their nose and reverse these posture changes.
• Poor sleep
  Sleep disturbance is common. Mouth breathing allows less oxygen in the lungs and bloodstream interrupting normal sleep patterns as lower levels of oxygen causes the brain to stay in a more aroused state resulting in light sleep rather than deep restorative sleep. Obviously, sleep is vital for children and has a direct effect on their growth, development, academic performance, concentration and behavior.
• Behavior changes
  Many children with hyperactivity and attention deficit are often misdiagnosed and may have a sleep breathing disorder.

So, what should you do? It’s best not to leave mouth breathing untreated. If you notice any of these changes, make an appointment to assess your child’s airway, with an allergist. You can discuss your concerns with Dr. Dunne at your next appointment. The good news is, when treated early you can eliminate the potential risks and dangers associated with mouth breathing and allow your child to lead a normal healthy life.

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