The Hidden Dangers of Mouth Breathing in Children

Breathing is the single most important thing we do. Despite this fact, the importance of healthy nasal breathing isn’t emphasized enough.

We are currently experiencing a hidden epidemic of mouth breathing. Research has shown that over 50% of preschool children breathe through their mouth. This can have lasting impacts on health and development.

Mouth breathing can impact several areas of a child’s health:

1. Dental Issues: Dry mouth from mouth breathing reduces saliva, increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease. It can also lead to crooked teeth.
2. Facial Structure Changes: Chronic mouth breathing alters the way the muscles function. This can cause an elongated face and narrow jaw, potentially affecting appearance and function.
3. Sleep Problems: Mouth breathing is linked to poor sleep quality. It keeps us in a state of fight or flight. This lack of deep restorative sleep can lead to daytime fatigue and attention issues, sometimes mimicking ADHD symptoms. Additionally, it is more likely to result in snoring or sleep apnea due to airway collapse.
4. Reduced Oxygen Intake: Nasal breathing helps filter, warm, and humidify air while aiding oxygen absorption. Mouth breathers may get less oxygen, impacting brain function and energy.
5. Increased risk of upper airway problems: Without the nose's filtering, pathogens enter more easily, increasing the risk of infections. Nasal congestion can be secondary to chronic mouth breathing and can also make children more prone to allergies and enlargement of tonsils and adenoids.
6. Speech and Swallowing Issues: Chronic mouth breathing can affect oral muscle development, leading to speech problems, excessive drooling, open mouth chewing and picky eating.
7. Sensory Processing Disorders: New research is finding that mouth breathing children may have double the risk of sensory processing disorders.
8. Changes in body posture: Mouth breathing doesn’t involve the diaphragm in an ideal manner. The smooth passage of air often requires children to adopt a forward head posture or have forward rolled shoulders with a slumped abdomen.

Signs include:

• Sleeping with the mouth open/ lips apart
• Chronic bad breath or dry lips
• Snoring or noisy breathing
• Daytime fatigue and difficulty focusing

Common causes include:

• Nasal Congestion: Allergies or frequent colds can block the nasal passages.
• Enlarged Tonsils or Adenoids: Swollen tissues can obstruct airflow.
• Habitual Behavior: A persistent habit even after initial triggers are gone, especially as a learned behaviour by watching other family members
• Low Tongue Posture: Due to tongue ties, long term use of bottles, pacifier or thumbsucking

• Maintain Nasal Hygiene: Use saline sprays as needed.
• Manage Allergies: Use antihistamines or environmental changes to improve nasal breathing.
• Nose Breathing Exercises: Help retrain breathing habits with daily exercises like Buteyko Breathing.
• Dental Evaluation: For structural and functional concerns related to oral muscle tone and tongue ties
• Consult an ENT Specialist: To identify and address any underlying issues.
• Consult a Myofunctional Therapist: They can prescribe exercises that improve oral rest posture

Without nasal breathing, our children will not live up to their full potential. Let’s help them thrive, not just survive. You can be a nasal breathing advocate within your own community by spreading the word.

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