Mouth Breathing

allowing poor oral postures

Breathing through your mouth forces your tongue to sit low and in a less-than-ideal position.  This impacts the quality of your breathing and swallowing.

When children are mouth breathing it is especially concerning as it can severely alter their development.

altering craniofacial growth

Mouth breathing, regardless of the cause, harms the critical craniofacial development of a child.  This habit is the main contributor to underdeveloped jaws, retracted chin, crooked teeth, compromised airways, and long, narrow faces. 
Open mouth posture can also effect facial structure in adults.

not breathing with your diaphram

Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as "belly breathing", should be slow and relaxed.  Mouth breathers usually do not use their diaphragm to breathe and miss out on those relaxing, deep breaths.  Instead, mouthbreathers often only exchange air in the upper lobes of their lungs.

lowering nitric oxide levels

The nose produces and releases nitric oxide (NO).  NO is a very important vasodilator responsible for relaxing blood vessel walls which maintains healthy blood flow.  This gas also plays a role in promoting the transfer of oxygen from the air into the bloodstream.

Some studies report that when we mouth breathe, the amount of exhaled nitric oxide is reduced by up to 50%. 

staying in "fight or flight"

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The shallow and rapid breathing behaviors common with mouth breathers can trigger the sympathetic nervous system.  This has potential to exacerbate overbreathing (hyperventilation) and anxiety-related symptoms.  This pattern is especially problematic for our sleep cycles.

getting less oxygen

Bypassing the natural filtering and humidifying process done by the nose and sinuses can also lead to lower oxygen absorption and saturation in the bloodstream. This contributes to fatigue, cognitive impairment, and an increased risk of cardiovascular issues.

irritating your tonsils and airway

 

Air passing through is not filtered, humidified, or warmed as it would be by the nose.  This can lead to dryness and irritation of the throat and tonsils.  This dryness makes these tissues more susceptible to infection.  Inflammation and swelling in the airway also contributes to snoring and poor sleep.

increasing your risk for periodontal disease

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Insufficient saliva means bacteria in the oral microbiome can proliferate un-checked.  Depending on the types of bacteria present, individual home care, and immune response, this combination can cause irreversible destruction to the structures that support the teeth, also known as the periodontium.

increasing your risk for dental decay

Mouth breathing evaporates saliva significantly quicker than nasal breathing.

Without sufficient saliva, plaque (leftover food and bacteria) can accumulate more easily on our teeth.  This bacteria not only causes bad breath, but also contributes to cavities by releasing acid onto to our enamel.  Saliva acts like a buffer between our teeth and these acids which reduces decay rate.

Certain strains of bacteria are more aggressive than others and mouth breathers tend to have more of the "bad" bacteria, like Streptococcus mutans.

dehydrating yourself

Studies show that mouth breathers lose up to 42% more water exhaling than nasal breathers.

contributing to dental crowding

 

Our tongue and lips are like "nature's braces" and work by applying very light pressure to the teeth continuously.  The open-mouth and low tongue posture required to mouth breathe does not allow these natural aligners to work and can result in undesirable changes to dental alignment and aesthetics.

compromising your   mental health
 

A combination of several things on this list negatively impact mental health.  Increased anxiety and depression are commonly reported by mouth breathers.