San Francisco and Marin CA
Breathing is a natural activity the human body does from the moment it’s born. However, it may be surprising that approximately 80%, or one in five people, breathe incorrectly. Normally, humans breathe through their noses instead of through their mouths. Unfortunately, mouth breathing can develop after an allergy flare-up, a sinus infection, a common cold, or the flu. In most cases, the habit ceases after the illness ends, but some people breathe through their mouths all of the time due to poor oral posture or an orofacial myofunctional disorder. Therefore, our San Francisco airway dentists at Glen Park Dental share on the blog today why mouth breathing is a big deal and how to stop it so that you can protect your oral and overall health.
Breathing is a condition that affects all ages from children to the elderly. Unfortunately, mouth breathing is not something that most doctors pay any attention to or believe affects the health of your entire body. It results in less oxygenation in the blood, which means less oxygen going to all of your vital organs.
Our Marin dentists who treat mouth breathing explain that when you breathe through your nose it releases nitric oxide into the cardiovascular system. Then, it acts as a vasodilator and helps to open the cardiovascular system’s vessels and airways. Therefore, breathing through your nose can increase blood flow to vital body organs such as the brain and help reduce your blood pressure risks. The results also provide a brain boost that improves learning and memory capabilities.
Why nitric oxide is important for your health
Nitric oxide helps promote cellular function and is vital for oxygen transmission to blood hemoglobin. For example, you may feel fatigued or sleepy when your body doesn’t get enough oxygen. Also, nitric oxide is a first-line defense against invaders because it kills viruses and parasites in the nasal cavity and airway. Our Oakland airway dentists explain that nitric oxide is crucial for your overall health and wellness, and it can only happen when you breathe through your nose.
Our Bay Area dentists who treat mouth breathing explain that it can be extremely harmful to your oral and overall health. Breathing through your mouth causes it to become dry, creating the perfect environment for harmful bacteria growth that causes gum disease and tooth decay. Your saliva has anti-bacterial properties that protect your teeth, tonsils, gums, and tongue. When your mouth is dry, harmful bacteria can and will attack. Finally, chronic mouth breathers may have additional issues in oral development or dental crowding.
In a resting position, your tongue should naturally touch the roof of your mouth with the tip of your tongue gently pressing on the backside of your top front teeth with your lips closed, unless you’re eating or talking. This gentle force from the tongue actually helps encourage jaw bone and palate growth during childhood. Therefore, chronic mouth breathers miss out on this advantage, which may lead to crooked or crowded teeth, an overbite or open bite, and narrow airways that cause snoring or sleep apnea.
How is mouth breathing managed?
Treating mouth breathing can be simple, but may take some time and effort on your part. Myofunctional therapy consists of oral exercises that train the orofacial muscles and tongue to rest properly and use proper movements for swallowing. Additionally, the therapy encourages nasal breathing. A course of myofunctional therapy should not be uncomfortable, although it requires commitment and follow-through for it to work. Myofunctional therapy can help mouth breathing in children before permanent damage has been done to tooth alignment and jaw development. However, adults may also benefit from myofunctional therapy, as well as additional dental treatments like orthodontics to reverse the misalignment of their teeth or bite.
Airway Dentists in Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, California
You may not realize that chronic mouth breathing can be so detrimental to your oral health and overall help, but there is an easy solution. Therefore, if you notice yourself or a loved one mouth breathing, it’s vital to bring them to our Bay Area airway dentists at Glen Park Dental to receive proper diagnosis and treatment. To find out more information about possible mouth breathing treatments, please call our office at (415) 585-1500 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
