Bite defects and mouth breathing. What’s the relationship?

The causes of unpleasant mouth odor are usually found in our diet (e.g. eating garlic). Few people know that nasal breathing can be the cause. Too little saliva promotes the growth of bacteria. There are many reasons for mouth breathing, such as an oversized palatine tonsil, allergies, chronic colds and rhinitis, asthma, a deviated nasal septum, ankyloglossia (a tongue frenulum that is too short limiting its mobility). Prolonged sucking on the thumb and using a pacifier may also be the culprits.

– Proper breathing is when you breathe in and out through your nose with your mouth closed. Unfortunately, many people, including children very often, have the opposite reflex. American dentists even use the term “mouth breather”, which describes a person with such a habit – says Monika Stachowicz, dentist from the Periodent Periodent Treatment and Prevention Center in Warsaw. Unfortunately, the tendency to this way of breathing leads to the drying of the mouth. The water contained in the saliva evaporates. The useful bacteria in it die, and this is a simple way to caries.

An open mouth also reduces the production of saliva, which is a barrier to bacteria and protects the oral mucosa. Their drying out can lead to the development of gingivitis and gingivitis. Unfortunately, 99 percent of Poles have diseased periodontitis.

Permanent breathing through the mouth of a child can deform the facial features, which becomes flat, and the cheekbones become less prominent. There is also a narrowing of the upper dental arch (the so-called gothic palate) and the lowering of the lower jaw.

Children with the habit of mouth breathing are more likely to develop speech impediments such as lisp. Most often it happens when the toddler has difficulty getting used to the abnormal swallowing reflex, the so-called swallowing reflex. baby. The tongue then rests on the toothless gums. In an adult, it should rest on the palate. Unfortunately, we often carry the infant type of swallowing into adulthood. Swallowing the saliva we then touch the upper teeth with our tongue.

An open mouth and obstructed airways can cause sleep disturbances, apnea and reduced oxygen supply to the bloodstream. As a result, the brain is hypoxic. It can lower immunity, promote excess weight, and interfere with the digestive system, as well as the ability to learn and concentrate. A hypoxic child develops worse, so it grows slower. Some researchers have even suggested that nighttime mouth breathing can lead to ADHD.

The tongue “works” unnaturally when breathing through the mouth. And because a strong muscle helps him, it can push the teeth forward. This is how, for example, an open bite or a cross bite is formed.

If the patient has a malocclusion and the habit of breathing by mouth, orthodontic treatment takes longer. And it can be more complicated. It happens that the teeth remain unstable for a long time after the braces are discontinued. This can lead to the occlusion defect reoccurring. And all treatment must be repeated.

In adults, if they breathe through the mouth, there is an oxygen deficiency. This can lead to distraction, memory problems, high blood pressure and chronic fatigue, and even to cardiovascular disease. Even the spine may suffer, because mouth breathing causes incorrect posture (head lifted up and slightly tilted back).

It is obvious that the habit of mouth-breathing goes back to childhood. So getting rid of it is not easy. If we have a baby, it is crucial to diagnose the source of the problem and unlearn the baby, e.g. to suck the thumb or use a pacifier, and to replace the bottle with a cup as soon as possible. – If our young child is still breathing with his mouth, let’s take him to a dentist who will assess the bite and spot any irregularities. Early intervention allows you to eliminate the deterioration of the defect. And it will prevent the development of other dysfunctions that could result in a visit to the oral surgeon in the future – explains Dr. Monika Stachowicz.