Mouth breathing is caused by nasal obstruction (allergies, colds, sinus issues, polyps, deviated septum, enlarged tonsils/adenoids) blocking airflow, forcing air through the mouth, or by a learned habit, often starting from a temporary blockage but persisting even when clear. Other factors include sleep apnea, structural facial development issues, and conditions like tongue-tie, all making nasal breathing difficult, especially during sleep.
Nasal obstruction (the partial or complete blockage of your nasal airways) is a common reason for mouth breathing. You may have a blocked nose from common things such as: Enlarged adenoids, which are the patches of tissue in the back of your throat and above your tonsils. Nasal allergies.
Causes of mouth breathing
Nasal blockages causes by cold, flu or allergies. Deviated septum or the cartilage divider between the nostrils is abnormal making it difficult to breath through the nose. Sleep apnea caused by enlarged adenoids or tonsils that indicate the collapse of soft tissue in the throat.
6 Techniques to Prevent Mouth Breathing
A: The best way to fix mouth breather face is to address the underlying cause of chronic mouth breathing, such as enlarged tonsils or an airway obstruction. Orthodontic treatment can also help improve jaw positioning and facial structure.
Early treatments, even from the age of three, can prevent many future issues. But if you discover this later in life, you can still improve your health. Think of it like exercise: it's never too late to start moving and see positive changes. The same goes for your jaw development and breathing.
A healthcare provider will treat the condition that makes it hard for you to breathe through your nose. They may recommend or prescribe the following treatments: Antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays to ease allergy symptoms. Antihistamines and decongestants can help when a cold causes a stuffy nose.
It can lead to: Altered Facial Development: Especially in children, chronic mouth breathing can affect the growth and alignment of teeth and jaw. Sleep Disorders: Increased risk of sleep apnea and other sleep-related issues.
What is myofunctional therapy? Myofunctional therapy is a set of tongue and throat exercises that aims to increase the tone and strength of your tongue and throat muscles. For obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, their throat muscles and tongue are more relaxed during sleep, resulting in a collapse of their airway.
Common causes include nasal congestion, allergies, deviated septum, or sleep apnea. Chronic mouth breathing can increase the risk of tooth decay, gum irritation, and dehydration, and may worsen snoring or sleep apnea symptoms.
Mouth Breathing vs Nose Breathing
Mouth breathing is a common condition that can have serious health consequences. Although mouth breathing is often considered normal, it can shorten your life by a decade or more. Mouth breathing occurs when the nose cannot adequately filter and humidify the air.
The relationship is both direct and indirect: Direct Effects: Poor sleep quality from mouth breathing leads to symptoms that mirror ADHD, including inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Children who don't get quality sleep struggle with executive function—the brain's ability to plan, focus, and control behavior.
The main cause of halitosis is poor oral hygiene. Without proper oral hygiene — like brushing, flossing and routine dental cleanings — harmful bacteria invade your mouth and cause bad smells.
Sinusitis. Because sinusitis causes inflammation throughout the human sinus cavity, this condition can mimic sleep apnea. Both conditions can cause snoring, gasping for air at night, breathing interruptions, and poor sleep quality.
Many effects of mouth breathing, especially those in children, can be minimized or even reversed with timely intervention. Adults can also often improve muscle tone, skin condition, and breathing patterns with therapy and medical treatment, though some structural changes may be permanent.
Occasional mouth breathing is common in children, especially during a cold or allergy season. But when it becomes a daily habit, you may want to see a pediatric ENT specialist.
You can train yourself to breathe through your nose by placing reminders in your home, using breathing exercises, and checking your posture. Identifying and treating the cause of mouth breathing, such as allergies or a deviated nasal septum, is important in stopping the habit.
Chronic mouth breathing in children can affect facial growth. It can lead to a narrow, elongated face, and it may affect the development of the teeth, causing an overbite or underbite. It may also result in the narrowing of the palate, leading to a need for orthodontic treatment.
If you notice that you or your child often breathes through the mouth, it's important to address it early. A dentist or pediatric dentist can check for signs of mouth-breathing during exams, such as dry gums, crowding, or an arched palate.
It can impact energy levels and concentration and can even cause bad breath. Research shows that when we breathe through our mouths, there is an increase in oxygen in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This part of the brain affects personality expression, decision making and social behaviour.
A major one is lower oxygen levels. When we breathe through our noses, we trigger nitric oxygen production, which helps our lungs absorb oxygen. Mouth breathing skips this process, making it harder to get the most out of each breath, resulting in less oxygen absorbed and less energy for mental and physical tasks.
Pursed Lip Breathing. Pursed lip breathing is a breathing exercise that helps you slow your breathing and inhale and exhale more air. You slowly inhale through your nose and gently exhale through pursed lips. Pursed lip breathing makes it easier to perform physical activities and reduces stress.
Dentists can identify issues like sleep apnea, airway obstruction, or mouth breathing habits during regular checkups. They can offer solutions like oral appliances for sleep apnea, therapies to improve nasal breathing, or orthodontic treatments to correct jaw alignment.
Most medical insurance plans don't cover myofunctional therapy, but some dental plans do depending on the cause and treatment. Diagnosis. The diagnosis will also determine coverage. Myofunctional therapy for conditions such as TMJ disorder may qualify for insurance coverage.