Has your nose ever been stuffy to the point where you can’t breathe through it? It often happens when you have a bad cold. As a result, you may choose to breathe through your mouth instead. While that may seem like a harmless alternative, it can negatively affect your oral health. In this blog post, you’ll learn more about mouth breathing and how it can harm your smile.
Why Do People Mouth-Breathe?
There are many reasons why someone may resort to mouth breathing. Aside from having a stuffy nose, it could be because they have underlying issues with their nasal passage. Suffering from persistent allergies, overly large tonsils, or a deviated septum can all make breathing through your nose difficult – sometimes even downright impossible.
In some cases, people mouth-breathe because they have a bite alignment problem, causing them to struggle with keeping their mouths closed. The good news is that most of these issues can be addressed with solutions like orthodontic treatment or surgery.
How Does Mouth-Breathing Affect Oral Health?
Believe it or not, mouth breathing can lead to several short-term and long-term issues. Some of those include:
- Dry Mouth – Breathing out of your mouth can cause it to become dry, which can decrease the amount of saliva you produce. Because saliva plays a crucial role in your oral health, inadequate production is quite dangerous. It can increase your risk of decay, cavities, chronic bad breath, and gum disease.
- Lack of Energy – Mouth breathing can prevent your body from getting as much oxygen as it normally does. It can lead to poor sleep quality and lower energy levels. As a result, children may have difficulty paying attention in school, and adults’ work productivity can suffer.
- Sleep Apnea – When you breathe through your mouth, your risk of sleep apnea increases significantly. The sleep disorder causes your breathing to stop and start repeatedly throughout the night. Seeking treatment is crucial to lowering your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and heart attack.
- Facial Deformities – You may be surprised to learn that mouth breathing can cause the bones on your face to develop differently. Since it requires a change in posture to keep the airway open, it can yield flat features, drooping eyes, a narrow jaw, and a small chin. Facial deformities are more common in children who continuously mouth-breathe.
If you think you may have an issue with mouth breathing, don’t hesitate to reach out to your dentist for assistance. They’ll address the problem and get your health back on the right track in no time!
About the Practice
At Westgate Dental Care, our team is proud to offer comprehensive services for patients of all ages. From routine checkups to complex restorative dentistry, we’ve got something for every smile. To learn more about the effects of mouth breathing, visit our website or call (847) 908-3684.