Why is mouth breathing harmful? What is the correct breathing method?

Recently, there have been many discussions about "mouth breathing" on the Internet. Some people say that breathing through the mouth for a long time may affect the teeth, face, and even body shape; others say that using a mouth breathing correction patch to seal the mouth can slowly change the habit of breathing through the mouth. In short, breathing is a science, and you will never learn it without going through a lot of hard work...

Weibo Topics

So, how true are these claims?

01

Is breathing through the mouth mouth breathing?

According to this standard, there is no normal person in the world. Generally speaking, we breathe through our noses. There are many benefits to doing so.

One is natural, you are born with it.

The second is health. Nose hair can filter dust in the air, the nasal cavity can heat and humidify the air, and the immune system in the nose can kill many bacteria and viruses.

However, everyone will encounter "unusual" times, such as when running or swimming, and then have to breathe through the mouth.

Why is this so? To better adapt to the environment. Exercise requires muscles, and active muscles consume a lot of oxygen. If the air inhaled through the nose is not enough, the human body will naturally find ways to make up for it from other sources.

Therefore, what doctors call "mouth breathing" includes two conditions: first, the patient is in a quiet state; second, the airflow through the mouth exceeds a certain proportion (25%~30%).

Clinically, the double-mirror test is often used to detect this. First, let the subject rest for a while, then take a refrigerated double-sided mirror and place it horizontally between the nostrils and upper lip to see if the mirror is fogged up. If both the upper and lower sides of the mirror are fogged up, it is mouth breathing.

However, this method can only check whether mouth breathing exists, and its severity requires further examination.

02

Is mouth breathing caused by habit?

Most of them are not. As mentioned before, nasal breathing is the most natural way of breathing; only when there is not enough oxygen, the human body will think of other ways.

There are two situations where oxygen is insufficient: one is mentioned above, such as when exercising; the other is related to illness. Colds, flu, and rhinitis can cause nasal congestion; and abnormal nasal structure, such as a deviated nasal septum, can also affect nasal ventilation.

However, the most common is enlarged adenoids.

Adenoids

If the upper respiratory tract is compared to a cave, then the adenoids are equivalent to the ticket gate of the attraction.

Under normal circumstances, it is located at the junction of the nasal cavity and the throat, and detects the incoming air to see if there are any bacteria or viruses in it.

If so, the adenoids may grow due to inflammation, blocking the respiratory tract - there will be a quarrel at the ticket gate, and the main entrance and exit will not be so smooth.

Children are a little special, their nasal cavity is narrower, and their adenoids are not as mature as those of adults. Therefore, children aged 3 to 6 often breathe through their mouths due to enlarged adenoids.

Is there a habit that causes mouth breathing? Not really. Children with the above diseases may or may not be treated. Those who are treated may or may not be treated in a timely manner. The last type may be that the disease has lasted too long and the habit has been formed, so they continue to breathe with their mouths open even after the disease disappears. This situation is relatively rare and mainly occurs in teenagers.

03

Can the wrong breathing method disfigure you?

There is controversy; besides, there are more important aspects to focus on than appearance.

Discussions about mouth breathing on the Internet mainly focus on appearance; there are indeed some studies showing that long-term mouth breathing may cause the chin to recede, the face to become longer, and the appearance of adenoids.

However, on the one hand, these studies are controversial, and there are also surveys with opposite conclusions; on the other hand, the mainstream opinion is that genetics determines face shape, and most environmental factors have only subtle effects.

As Professor Zeng Xianglong of Peking University Stomatological Hospital said, ignoring the genetic background, the severity and duration of mouth breathing, and overemphasizing the correlation between mouth breathing and specific facial shapes may mislead patients.

Adenoids

The second topic that is often discussed is the relationship between mouth breathing and teeth.

The expert group of China's early childhood correction standardized diagnosis and treatment project believes that mouth breathing in children may cause malocclusion, buck teeth, underbite, etc.

However, there are many causes of malocclusion, and habits such as sticking out the tongue, licking teeth, and sucking fingers have a greater impact.

In fact, the most serious harm of mouth breathing is reflected in the whole body .

First of all, the oral cavity is different from the nasal cavity and has no ability to filter, humidify, or disinfect the air. Long-term mouth breathing may cause respiratory discomfort and even increase the risk of respiratory infection.

Secondly, mouth breathing often means nasal disease, which is a forced compensation. If rhinitis, nasal septum deviation, adenoids hypertrophy and other diseases exist for a long time, the patient may not get enough oxygen, which may cause poor sleep, snoring, drooling, waking up from dreams, and in severe cases, the brain may be deprived of oxygen, resulting in distraction, learning difficulties, and even temperament changes.

04

Can mouth breathing patches correct breathing patterns?

You should go to the hospital immediately.

Do you suspect your child is mouth breathing? As mentioned above, the causes of mouth breathing are complex and the impact involves many aspects. If there is a primary disease such as adenoid hypertrophy, it should be treated actively; gluing the mouth shut without thinking will only aggravate the condition. If there is a malocclusion, then regardless of other aspects, you should consider orthodontics. Even if mouth breathing is caused by habit, it is best to choose a targeted training method under the guidance of a doctor.

05

Conclusion

In short, when discussing diseases, it is best to put health first and listen to what professionals say. Throughout life, your appearance will always change slightly, but your desire for health is eternal.

References:

[1] Zhang Dongliang (ed.), Zhou Xinying, Li Zhipeng, Ma Kai (co-eds.). Early Correction of Children's Malocclusion [M/OL]. Liaoning Science and Technology Press, 2019 [2023-03-05]. http://book.ucdrs.superlib.net/views/specific/2929/bookDetail.jsp?dxNumber=000018620341&d=6251B1DF02402D022D316114D8E8270F&fenlei=16170505.

[2] Mouth Breathing[EB/OL]//Mayo Clinic Health System. [2023-03-07]. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/locations/mankato/services-and-treatments/otorhinolaryngology/pediatric-ent-conditions/mouth-breathing.

[3] XIANGLONG Z, XUEMEI G. Diagnosis and treatment of mouth breathing in children[J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Stomatology, 2020, 55(1): 3-8. DOI:10.3760/cma.j.issn.1002-0098.2020.01.002.

[4] Du Changxin, Zhu Min, Yu Qian, et al. Diagnosis of obstructive mouth breathing in children[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical New Medicine, 2018, 11(11): 1065-1071.

[5] Expert consensus on early correction of malocclusion in Chinese children[J/OL]. West China Journal of Stomatology, 2021, 39(4): 369-376. DOI:10.7518/hxkq.2021.04.001.

[6] WHITE JD, INDENCLEEF K, NAQVI S, et al. Insights into the genetic architecture of the human face[J/OL]. Nature Genetics, 2021, 53(1): 45-53. DOI:10.1038/s41588-020-00741-7.

[7] RICHMOND S, HOWE LJ, LEWIS S, et al. Facial Genetics: A Brief Overview[J/OL]. Frontiers in Genetics, 2018, 9[2023-03-07]. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2018.00462.

[8] LIN L, ZHAO T, QIN D, et al. The impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development: A concise review[J/OL]. Frontiers in Public Health, 2022, 10[2023-03-05]. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.929165.

[9] ZHENG W, ZHANG

[10] BIANCHINI AP, GUEDES ZCF, VIEIRA M M. A study on the relationship between mouth breathing and facial morphological pattern[J/OL]. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, 2015, 73(4): 500-505. DOI:10.1016/S1808-8694(15)30101-4.

END

Author: Zhao Yanchang, science writer

Editor: Guru