How to Stop Mouth breathing in children

Mouth breathing refers to the state of exhaling and inhaling through the nose instead of mouth. Mouth breathing is a very common problem in children that can be a sign of underlying issues and can have various causes and effects.

How to treat mouth breathing?

Treating mouth breathing often involves addressing its underlying causes. Here are some common approaches:

Allergies Manage allergies with medications or lifestyle changes.
Nasal Congestion Treat nasal congestion with saline sprays, decongestants, or nasal corticosteroids.
Enlarged Tonsils/Adenoids: Consult an ENT specialist to evaluate if surgical removal of adenoid or tonsil is necessary.
Promote Nasal Breathing: Encourage children to practice breathing through their noses. Use nasal strips or nasal dilators to help open nasal passages during sleep.
Orthodontic Intervention: Consult an orthodontist if structural issues with the jaw or teeth are causing mouth breathing. Early orthodontic treatment can help guide proper development.
Myofunctional Therapy: This therapy involves exercises to strengthen the tongue and orofacial muscles, promoting proper breathing, chewing, and swallowing patterns.
Use a humidifier to keep air moist and reduce nasal congestion.
Regular Check-ups: Regular visits to the pediatrician, dentist, and ENT specialist can help monitor and address any issues early.

What causes mouth breathing?

Nasal Obstruction: Blocked nasal passages due to allergies, colds, sinus infections, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, enlarged turbinates, or a deviated septum can cause mouth breathing
Habitual Behavior: Sometimes, mouth breathing can become a habit even after the initial cause is resolved.
Structural Issues: Conditions like a high palate or small jaw can lead to mouth breathing.
Sleep Disorders: Sleep apnea or other sleep-related issues can cause children to breathe through their mouths during sleep.

How to diagnose mouth breathing?

Health care providers may use some simple tests to diagnose mouth breathing.

Mirror test: Double-sided mirror is held between the nose and the mouth. Fogging on the nasal side of the mirror indicates nasal breathing while fogging on the oral side indicate mouth breathing.
Water retention test: Health care provider will ask the patient to hold little water in mouth without gulping it down. This test will show whether mouth breathing is a habit or they can actually not breathe through their nose.

What are the consequences of mouth breathing?

Dental Issues: Mouth breathing can lead to dry mouth, increasing the risk of cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. It can also affect the development of teeth and jaw alignment, leading to malocclusion (improper bite).
Facial Development: Chronic mouth breathing can affect facial growth and development, potentially leading to a longer face, narrower jaws, and other changes in facial structure.
Sleep Problems: Mouth breathing can interfere with proper sleep, leading to sleep apnea, poor quality sleep, and associated issues like daytime fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
Speech Problems: It can sometimes affect speech development and articulation.
Overall Health: Mouth breathing can lead to inadequate oxygen levels, affecting overall health and development.

What are benefits of nasal breathing over mouth breathing

Nasal breathing offers several physiological advantages over mouth breathing:

Air Filtration and Humidification: The nasal passages are designed to filter out particles and humidify the air before it reaches the lungs. Mouth breathing bypasses this natural filtration and humidification process, potentially exposing the airways to more irritants and dry air.
Nitric Oxide Production: The nasal cavity produces nitric oxide, which helps widen blood vessels and improve oxygen uptake in the lungs. Mouth breathing reduces the amount of nitric oxide reaching the lungs.
Regulation of Breathing: Nasal breathing helps regulate the amount of air taken in, promoting more efficient breathing patterns.

Conclusion

If you suspect your child is a chronic mouth breather, it’s important to consult with healthcare professionals to identify the cause and develop a suitable treatment plan. Early intervention can help mitigate long-term effects on health and development. You might also be interested in this article about preventing tooth decay in children.

FAQs

Can Mouth Breathing Face Be Reversed in Kids?

Yes, mouth breathing face can often be reversed in children, especially if addressed early. Treatment involves correcting the underlying causes of mouth breathing, such as allergies, nasal congestion, or enlarged tonsils. Interventions may include orthodontic treatments to correct dental alignment, myofunctional therapy to strengthen orofacial muscles, and encouraging consistent nasal breathing. With appropriate and timely interventions, children can experience significant improvements in facial development and overall health.

Does mouth breathing cause snoring?

Yes, mouthbreathing can contribute to snoring. The airflow dynamics are different when breathing through the mouth compared to the nose. This altered airflow can increase the likelihood of snoring.

Does mouth breathing change the shape of your face?

Mouth breathing, especially over a prolonged period, can have several effects on facial development and appearance. It can lead to the development of a longer, narrower face, sometimes referred to as adenoid face or mouth breather face.

Can mouth breathing face be cured in children?

Yes, the changes associated with “mouth breathing face,” such as altered jaw alignment, can often be improved when it is detected early.

Myofunctional Therapy is an exercise programme that strengthen the muscles of the mouth, face, and neck that promote proper breathing and swallowing patterns.
Braces, palatal expanders or other orthodontic devices can help correct dental and jaw alignment issues .
In severe cases, surgical interventions might be necessary to correct anatomical issues.

Is mouth breathing permanent?

Mouth breathing is not necessarily permanent. It can often be corrected by addressing underlying causes like nasal congestion, allergies, or dental issues, and through interventions such as medical treatment, orthodontic care, myofunctional therapy, and breathing exercises. Consulting healthcare professionals is essential for effective treatment.

Can mouth breathing face be reversed in adults?

The growth of the jaw bone is completed before 20 years of age. So the mouth breathing face can’t be reversed completely, but the alignment of the teeth can be modified using orthodontic braces.