Believe it or not, newborns cannot breathe through their mouths. However, after passing the 6-month milestone, we discovered that there is actually another way to breathe. While breathing through the nose works well, it can be much more harmful to us in the long run.
We explain why it’s best not to steal your nose’s primary function.
Should I Breathe Through My Mouth or Through My Nose?
Your Face Changes
If you breathe through your mouth, you will eventually start to notice your face changing its structure and growing forward and downward. It is more noticeable in children as their faces are still growing.
As you breathe through your mouth, your jaw and cheeks narrow. This, in turn, causes a change in the shape of the nose.
Additionally, you may develop narrow nostrils and upper lip, as well as a forward open bite.
You Start Slouching
If you breathe through your mouth, you subconsciously tilt your head forward and your shoulders slump. As a result, you get a stooped posture that develops as a way to open up your airways.
Your Teeth Suffer
Mouth breathing negatively affects the alignment of the teeth. Many children who prefer to breathe through their mouths develop crooked teeth and an incorrect bite later on.
The resting lip posture and tongue position also change, and orthodontic treatment becomes complicated, especially when it comes to the use of braces.
You Find It, Harder, To Sleep
Less oxygen and more carbon dioxide enter your body. As a result, most of your body systems suffer. In addition, you are more likely to snore and drool, as well as suffer from chronic oxygen deprivation and sleep apnea.
It is even recommended to tape your mouth at night to help you breathe through your nose.
Do you breathe through your nose or through your mouth? What other side effects of mouth breathing do you know about?
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