The nose is designed to filter, warm, and humidify the air we breathe in. Nasal breathing naturally reduces allergen exposure. Interestingly, nasal breathing also introduces more nitric oxide into our system, leading to increased oxygenation.
Nasal breathing tends toward deeper diaphragmatic breathing, which positively affects our parasympathetic nervous system allowing the us to enter a “rest and digest” state. On the other hand, chronic mouth breathing tends to be more shallow thoracic breathing that keeps the nervous system in a state of “fight or flight”.
Additional concerns with habitual mouth breathing include dry mouth which can significantly impact oral health, altered development of the dental arch and orofacial bones in young children, and increased allergic reactions to inhaled allergens. Mouth breathing may also perpetuate chronic congestion. It becomes a vicious cycle when bypassing the nose leads to inflammation, increased mucous production by goblet cells, reduced mucous clearing in the nasal passages, and (in young children) possible structural changes affecting the airway/ nasal cavity.
It’s important to determine the cause of chronic mouth breathing and whether nasal breathing is prohibited due to structural issues such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps, or whether chronic sinusitis is causing a blockage.
Sometimes mouth breathing simply becomes a habit even with patent nasal passages and that needs addressing for all of the reasons stated above. It is also possible that mouth breathing is a result of a lingual frenum restriction known as a “Tongue-Tie”. That is discussed here. Myofunctional therapy can help, but it may just be one piece of your puzzle. Book a free assessment or Comprehensive Evaluation and let me help you find answers.
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