Mouth breathing

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Mouth breathing
Other namesChronic oral ventilation
Symptoms Snoring, dry mouth, hoarse voice, bad breath, fatigue, sleep apnea [1] [2]
CausesChronic nasal congestion
TreatmentTreatment of the underlying cause of nasal congestion if present, building a habit to breathe through the nose

Mouth breathing, medically known as chronic oral ventilation, is long-term breathing through the mouth. It often is caused by an obstruction to breathing through the nose, the innate breathing organ in the human body. [3] [4] [5] However, by the early 20th century, the term "mouth-breather" had developed a pejorative slang meaning connoting a stupid person.

Contents

Etymology

Image 23 from the 1903 book by William F. Barry, M.D., The Hygiene of the Schoolroom. Barry describes this child as having "the typical face of a mouth-breather". The hygiene of the schoolroom (1911) (14780934891).jpg
Image 23 from the 1903 book by William F. Barry, M.D., The Hygiene of the Schoolroom. Barry describes this child as having "the typical face of a mouth-breather".

In the early 20th century, "mouth-breather" was a technical term used by doctors to describe children who were breathing through their mouths due to an underlying medical condition. English lexicographer Jonathon Green notes that by 1915, the phrase "mouth-breather" had developed a pejorative connotation within English slang, defined as a "stupid person". [6] Currently, the Macmillan Dictionary defines the term "mouth breather" as a pejorative noun that is used to mean "a stupid person." [7] [4]

Cause of inability for nasal breathing

Jason Turowski, MD of the Cleveland Clinic states that "we are designed to breathe through our noses from birth – it's the way humans have evolved." [3] [5] Infants for example in the first six to twelve months of postnatal can only use their noses to breathe unless crying is involved. [8] Thus, the impact of chronic mouth breathing on health is a research area within orthodontics (and the related field of myofunctional therapy) [9] and anthropology. [10] It is classified into three types: obstructive, habitual, and anatomic. [11] : 281 

There is a noted order of cause and effect leading to airway dysfunction related to mouth breathing. This first starts with an inflammatory reaction then leading to tissue growth in the area which leads to airway obstruction and mouth breathing and then finally an altered face structure. [12]

Nasal breathing produces nitric oxide within the body, while mouth breathing does not. [5] [13] [14] In addition, the Boston Medical Center notes that the nose filters out particles that enter the body, humidifies the air we breathe and warms it to body temperature. [15] In contrast, however, mouth breathing "pulls all pollution and germs directly into the lungs; dry cold air in the lungs makes the secretions thick, slows the cleaning cilia, and slows down the passage of oxygen into the bloodstream". [15] As a result, chronic mouth breathing may lead to illness. [13] [16] [17] [18] [19] In about 85% of cases, it is an adaptation to nasal congestion, [11] : 281  [17] and frequently occurs during sleep. [16] More specialized causes include: antrochoanal polyps; [20] : 350  a short upper lip which prevents the lips from meeting at rest (lip incompetence); [11] : 281  and pregnancy rhinitis which tends to occur in the third trimester of pregnancy. [21] : 435 

Potential effects

Conditions associated with mouth breathing include cheilitis glandularis, [20] : 490  Down syndrome, [22] : 365  anterior open bite, [21] : 225  tongue thrusting habit, [21] : 225  cerebral palsy, [23] : 422  ADHD, [24] [25] sleep apnea, [26] and snoring. [26] In addition, gingivitis, [21] : 85  gingival enlargement, [21] : 85  and increased levels of dental plaque [21] : 108  are common in persons who chronically breathe through their mouths. The usual effect on the gums is sharply confined to the anterior maxillary region, especially the incisors (the upper teeth at the front). The appearance is erythematous (red), edematous (swollen) and shiny. This region receives the greatest exposure to airflow during mouth breathing, and it is thought that the inflammation and irritation is related to surface dehydration, but in animal experimentation, repeated air drying of the gums did not create such an appearance. [21] : 85 

Breathing through the mouth decreases saliva flow. Saliva has minerals to help neutralize bacteria, clean off the teeth, and rehydrate the tissues. Without it, the risk of gum disease and cavities increases. [27]

Chronic mouth breathing in children may affect dental and facial growth. [19] It may also lead to the development of a long, narrow face, sometimes termed long face syndrome. [28] Conversely, it has been suggested that a long thin face type, with corresponding thin nasopharyngeal airway, predisposes to nasal obstruction and mouth breathing. [17]

Additional approaches to mouth breathing

George Catlin

George Catlin was a 19th-century American painter, author, and traveler, who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the Old West. Travelling to the American West five times during the 1830s, he wrote about, and painted portraits that depicted, the life of the Plains Indians. [29] He was also the author of several books, including The Breath of Life [30] (later retitled as Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life) in 1862. [31] [32] It was based on his experiences traveling through the West, where he observed a consistent lifestyle habit among the Native American communities he encountered: a preference for nose breathing over mouth breathing. He also observed that they had perfectly straight teeth. [33] He repeatedly heard that this was because they believed that mouth breathing made an individual weak and caused disease, while nasal breathing made the body strong and prevented disease. [33] He also observed that mothers repeatedly closed the mouth of their infants while they were sleeping, to instill nasal breathing as a habit. [34]

Yoga

Yogis such as B. K. S. Iyengar advocated both inhaling and exhaling through the nose in the practice of yoga, rather than inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, [35] [36] [37] using the phrase, "the nose is for breathing, the mouth is for eating." [35] [36] [38] [39]

Mouth taping

Mouth taping is the practice of keeping the lips shut while sleeping with a strip of surgical tape. This is intended to prevent mouth breathing during sleep. The health effects of mouth taping have been little researched. [40]

In non-human animals

Lambs are noted to only switch to mouth breathing when the nasal passages are completely obstructed, with hypoxaemia having developed also as a result. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep apnea</span> Disorder involving pauses in breathing during sleep

Sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder in which repetitive pauses in breathing, periods of shallow breathing, or collapse of the upper airway during sleep results in poor ventilation and sleep disruption. Each pause in breathing can last for a few seconds to a few minutes and occurs many times a night. A choking or snorting sound may occur as breathing resumes. Common symptoms include daytime sleepiness, snoring, and non restorative sleep despite adequate sleep time. Because the disorder disrupts normal sleep, those affected may experience sleepiness or feel tired during the day. It is often a chronic condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snoring</span> Vibratory sound made while asleep

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. The sound may be soft or loud and unpleasant. Snoring during sleep may be a sign, or first alarm, of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Research suggests that snoring is one of the factors of sleep deprivation.

The Buteyko method or Buteyko breathing technique is a form of complementary or alternative physical therapy that proposes the use of breathing exercises primarily as a treatment for asthma and other respiratory conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Positive airway pressure</span> Mechanical ventilation in which airway pressure is always above atmospheric pressure

Positive airway pressure (PAP) is a mode of respiratory ventilation used in the treatment of sleep apnea. PAP ventilation is also commonly used for those who are critically ill in hospital with respiratory failure, in newborn infants (neonates), and for the prevention and treatment of atelectasis in patients with difficulty taking deep breaths. In these patients, PAP ventilation can prevent the need for tracheal intubation, or allow earlier extubation. Sometimes patients with neuromuscular diseases use this variety of ventilation as well. CPAP is an acronym for "continuous positive airway pressure", which was developed by Dr. George Gregory and colleagues in the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of California, San Francisco. A variation of the PAP system was developed by Professor Colin Sullivan at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia, in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inhalation</span> Flow of the respiratory current into an organism

Inhalation happens when air or other gases enter the lungs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exhalation</span> Flow of the respiratory current out of an organism

Exhalation is the flow of the breath out of an organism. In animals, it is the movement of air from the lungs out of the airways, to the external environment during breathing. This happens due to elastic properties of the lungs, as well as the internal intercostal muscles which lower the rib cage and decrease thoracic volume. As the thoracic diaphragm relaxes during exhalation it causes the tissue it has depressed to rise superiorly and put pressure on the lungs to expel the air. During forced exhalation, as when blowing out a candle, expiratory muscles including the abdominal muscles and internal intercostal muscles generate abdominal and thoracic pressure, which forces air out of the lungs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandibular advancement splint</span>

A mandibular splint or mandibular advancement splint is a prescription custom-made medical device worn in the mouth used to treat sleep-related breathing disorders including: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), snoring, and TMJ disorders. These devices are also known as mandibular advancement devices, sleep apnea oral appliances, oral airway dilators, and sleep apnea mouth guards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nasal congestion</span> Partial or complete blockage of nasal passages

Nasal congestion is the partial or complete blockage of nasal passages, leading to impaired nasal breathing, usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflammation of blood vessels.

Oral myology is the field of study that involves the evaluation and treatment of the oral and facial musculature, including the muscles of the tongue, lips, cheeks, and jaw.

Hypopnea is overly shallow breathing or an abnormally low respiratory rate. Hypopnea is typically defined by a decreased amount of air movement into the lungs and can cause hypoxemia It commonly is due to partial obstruction of the upper airway, but can also have neurological origins in central sleep apnea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continuous positive airway pressure</span> Form of ventilator which applies mild air pressure continuously to keep airways open

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a form of positive airway pressure (PAP) ventilation in which a constant level of pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is continuously applied to the upper respiratory tract of a person. The application of positive pressure may be intended to prevent upper airway collapse, as occurs in obstructive sleep apnea, or to reduce the work of breathing in conditions such as acute decompensated heart failure. CPAP therapy is highly effective for managing obstructive sleep apnea. Compliance and acceptance of use of CPAP therapy can be a limiting factor, with 8% of people stopping use after the first night and 50% within the first year.

Conscious breathing encompasses techniques directing awareness toward the breathing process, serving purposes from improving respiration to building mindfulness. In martial arts like tai chi and qigong, breathing exercises are said to strengthen diaphragm muscles and protect organs, with reverse breathing being a common method. Meditation traditions, including yoga and Buddhist meditation, emphasize breath control. Yoga's pranayama is believed by practitioners to elevate life energies, while Buddhist vipassanā uses anapanasati for mindfulness of breathing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breathing</span> Process of moving air in and out of the lungs

Breathing is the rhythmical process of moving air into (inhalation) and out of (exhalation) the lungs to facilitate gas exchange with the internal environment, mostly to flush out carbon dioxide and bring in oxygen.

Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD) are muscle disorders of the face, mouth, lips, or jaw due to chronic mouth breathing.

Obligate nasal breathing describes a physiological instinct to breathe through the nose as opposed to breathing through the mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human mouth</span> Part of human anatomy

In human anatomy, the mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and produces saliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth.

Long face syndrome, also referred to as skeletal open bite, is a relatively common condition characterised by excessive vertical facial development. Its causes may be either genetic or environmental. Long face syndrome is "a common dentofacial abnormality." Its diagnosis, symptomology and treatments are complex and controversial. Indeed, even its existence as a "syndrome" is disputed.

<i>Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art</i> 2020 book by James Nestor

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art is a 2020 popular science book by science journalist James Nestor. The book provides a historical, scientific and personal examination of breathing, with a specific interest in contrasting the differences between mouth breathing and nasal breathing. The book became an international bestseller, selling over two million copies worldwide.

Human jaw shrinkage is the phenomenon of continued size reduction of the human mandible and maxilla over the past 12,000 to 15,000 years. Modern human lifestyles and diets are vastly different now from what they were for most of human evolutionary history. Human jaws, as well as oral cavities, have been shrinking ever since the spread of agriculture during the Neolithic Revolution. This has been confirmed by bone remains dated to this time period. Researchers are able to infer the basic lifestyle practices of past cultures, enabling them to link jaw size with lifestyle behaviors. Bones from burial sites of past hunter-gatherer societies are associated with larger jaws and mouths, while bones retrieved from former farming cultures have decreased jaw size.

Mouth taping is the practice of sleeping with one's lips held shut by a strip of surgical tape, which prevents mouth breathing during sleep. This supposed life hack gained popularity through social media in the 2020s. Those who advise in favor of it attribute a variety of health benefits to it, although these claims have not been scientifically verified.

References

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  2. ↑ Kotecha, B. (1 August 2011). "The nose, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea". Rhinology Journal. 49 (3). Stichting Nase: 259–263. doi: 10.4193/rhino10.165 . ISSN   0300-0729. PMID   21858254.
  3. 1 2 Turowski, Jason (29 April 2016). "Should You Breathe Through Your Mouth or Your Nose?". Cleveland Clinic . Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 Wollan, Malia (23 April 2019). "How to Be a Nose Breather". New York Times . Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Glazier, Eve (November 2019). "Nose breathing has more benefits than mouth breathing". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  6. ↑ Kelly, John (23 August 2016). "How '80s Is the Slang in Stranger Things?". Slate . Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "Macmillan Dictionary: Mouthbreather". The Macmillan Dictionary . Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  8. 1 2 R, Harding (1986). "Nasal obstruction in infancy". Australian Paediatric Journal. 22 (Suppl 1): 59–61. ISSN   0004-993X. PMID   3539080 . Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Frey, Lorraine (November 2014). "The Essential Role of the Com in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing: A Literature Review and Discussion". The International Journal of Orofacial Myology. 40. Int J Orofacial Myology: 42–55. doi: 10.52010/ijom.2014.40.1.4 . PMID   27295847.
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  13. 1 2 Dahl, Melissa (11 January 2011). "'Mouth-breathing' gross, harmful to your health". NBC News. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  14. ↑ Berman, Joe (29 January 2019). "Could nasal breathing improve athletic performance?". Washington Post . Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  15. 1 2 "Your Nose, the Guardian of Your Lungs". Boston Medical Center. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  16. 1 2 Martel, Jan; Ko, Yun-Fei; Young, John D.; Ojcius, David (6 May 2020). "Could nasal nitric oxide help to mitigate the severity of COVID-19?". Microbes and Infection. 22 (4–5): 168–171. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2020.05.002 . PMC   7200356 . PMID   32387333.
  17. 1 2 3 Rao A, ed. (2012). Principles and Practice of Pedodontics (3rd ed.). New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Pub. pp. 169, 170. ISBN   9789350258910.
  18. ↑ Nall, Rachel (22 September 2017). "What's wrong with breathing through the mouth?". Medical News Today . Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  19. 1 2 Valcheva, Zornitsa (January 2018). "THE ROLE OF MOUTH BREATHING ON DENTITION DEVELOPMENT AND FORMATION" (PDF). Journal of IMAB. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  20. 1 2 Barnes L, ed. (2009). Surgical pathology of the head and neck (3rd ed.). New York: Informa healthcare. ISBN   978-1-4200-9163-2.
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  24. ↑ Won, Dana (February 2017). "It Is Just Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder…or Is It?". Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 38 (2). J Dev Behav Pediatr.: 169–172. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000386. PMC   5401711 . PMID   28079611.
  25. ↑ Sano, Masahiro (October 2013). "Increased oxygen load in the prefrontal cortex from mouth breathing: a vector-based near-infrared spectroscopy study". NeuroReport. 24 (17): 935–940. doi:10.1097/WNR.0000000000000008. PMC   4047298 . PMID   24169579.
  26. 1 2 Pacheco, Maria Christina Thome (July–August 2015). "Guidelines proposal for clinical recognition of mouth breathing children". Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics. 20 (4): 39–44. doi:10.1590/2176-9451.20.4.039-044.oar. PMC   4593528 . PMID   26352843.
  27. ↑ Graves, Elizabeth (4 September 2022). "Mouth Breather vs Nose Breather: Understanding the Differences and Why it Matters". Take Home Smile.
  28. ↑ Basheer, Bahija (November 2014). "Influence of Mouth Breathing on the Dentofacial Growth of Children: A Cephalometric Study". Journal of International Oral Health. 6 (6): 50–55. PMC   4295456 . PMID   25628484.
  29. ↑ "Catlin Virtual Exhibition". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Archived from the original on 25 September 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  30. ↑ The breath of life, or mal-respiration, and its effects upon the enjoyments & life of man. HathiTrust. 1862. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  31. ↑ Nestor, James (2020). Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Riverhead Books. p. 48. ISBN   978-0735213616.
  32. ↑ "George Catlin on Mouth Breathing". PubMed . Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  33. 1 2 Nestor, James (2020). Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Riverhead Books. p. 49. ISBN   978-0735213616.
  34. ↑ Nestor, James (2020). Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Riverhead Books. p. 50. ISBN   978-0735213616.
  35. 1 2 "Q&A: Is Mouth Breathing OK in Yoga?". Yoga Journal. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  36. 1 2 Payne, Larry. "Yogic Breathing: Tips for Breathing through Your Nose (Most of the Time)". Yoga For Dummies, 3rd Edition . Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  37. ↑ Himalayan Institute Core Faculty, Himalayan Institute Core Faculty (13 July 2017). "Yogic Breathing: A Study Guide". Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy . Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  38. ↑ Krucoff, Carol (2013). Yoga Sparks. New Harbinger Publications. ISBN   9781608827022 . Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  39. ↑ Jurek, Scott (2012). Eat and Run. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN   978-0547569659 . Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  40. ↑ Blum, Dani (17 November 2022). "Can a Piece of Tape Help You Sleep?". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 29 September 2023.

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