How Mouth Breathing can be life threatening

You may not feel like you're breathing through the mouth instead the nose, especially during sleep hours. Mouth breathing increases your risk of the following 6 mouth breathing that could sabotaging your health:

One : Sleep disruption

Mouth breathing is one of the main causes of sleep apnea, snoring & sleep disruptions.

These can often lead to daytime fatigue as well as increased hunger throughout the day.

If you breathe through the mouth during the day you likely mouth breathe at night.

Two : More trips to the dentist

Much like your gut your mouth has a microbiota system.

Breathing through the mouth disrupts this process as your oral microbiome thrives on saliva production.

A dry mouth means greater chance of cavities, plaque build up & gum disease.

Three : Increase in stress

Mouth breathing activates our sympathetic nervous system, which puts us in a fight or flight mode.

Breathing through your mouth is a way of activating your bodies stress response while breathing through the nose helps put you in a calmer state.

Four : Reduced nitric oxide

Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that helps widen your blood vessels & improve oxygen circulation.

Nose breathing releases up to 25% of NO.

Mouth breathing does not which means cells are not getting as much oxygen, which could lead to fatigue & stress.

Five : Decreased ability to learn

Chronic mouth breathing has been linked to impaired mental development in children.

This may be due to decreased sleep quality & an increase in stress due to being in a sympathetic state.

You simply can't learn well when you're stressed out.

Six : Change in facial structure

Properly functioning muscles allow your tongue to rest against your inner jaw, developing the shape of your teeth.

Studies suggest those who breathe through the mouth may develop long & narrow faces, retracted chins & less prominent jaws.

How mouth breathing treated?

The treatment of mouth breathing depends on the underlying cause, and the earlier this is done, the better the results, especially in children. Here are the following tips that may avoid you breathing through the mouth:

• Mouth tape at night
• Clear any nasal blockages
• Practice pranayama breathing
• Practice nose breathing during exercise
• Practice breathing through the nose during the day

Breathing through the nose takes practice. Give it the time it needs.