You spend all day breathing. For the most part, it’s second nature. Thinking about how you breathe is probably a rare occurrence. But did you know that breathing through your nose versus your mouth provides unique benefits? Let’s take a look at why nose breathing is beneficial, what might be causing you to breathe through your mouth and how to address common breathing issues for better, healthier airflow.
How Does Nose Breathing Affect Me?
Your nose isn’t just for smelling the flowers in Merwood Park—it’s an essential part of your respiratory system. Tiny hairs called cilia line the inside of your nasal passages, acting as filters to trap dust, allergens and other harmful particles. This built-in filtration system helps keep your lungs clean and reduces your risk of inhaling germs or pollutants.
On the other hand, breathing through your mouth bypasses this filtration system. It may also leave you with side effects like dry mouth, bad breath and nighttime drooling. Over time, persistent mouth breathing can lead to malocclusion, a condition where your teeth become misaligned.
Leading Causes of Mouth Breathing
Nasal blockage is one of the leading causes of mouth breathing. Several factors can cause nasal blockage and lead you to default to mouth breathing, including:
- Allergies
- Sinus infections
- Cold or flu
- Deviated septum
- Enlarged adenoids (usually only in children under age five)
- Stress or exposure to smoke
In addition to nasal blockages, some mouth breathing is just a habit picked up during childhood. Luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent both of these causes.
Tips to Minimize Mouth Breathing
Treating the underlying cause of your nasal congestion is often the first step to reducing mouth breathing. Depending on the underlying cause, treatments may include:
- Allergen avoidance or medication
- Balloon sinuplasty for chronic sinus infections
- Surgery to fix a deviated septum
- Environmental changes to reduce stress or block out smoke
- Adenoidectomy to remove enlarged adenoids if treating the underlying cause of the inflammation is ineffective
In cases where mouth breathing has become a habit rather than a necessity, focused breathing exercises can help retrain your body.
If you or your child are struggling with mouth breathing or have noticed recurring nasal issues, it’s a good idea to consult an ENT specialist. They can help identify the root cause and provide the appropriate treatment to improve your breathing and overall health. Contact Pinnacle ENT Associates today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.