What is Mouth Breathing ?

Mouth breathing is defined as habitual respiration through the mouth instead of nose.

Classification of Mouth Breathing:

- Obstructive: Increased resistance to or complete obstrucion of normal airflow through nasal pasage.

- Habitual: As a matter of habit or persistence of the habit even after elimination of the obstuctive cause.

- Anatomical: Short upper lip leads to incompetence of lips and hence mouth breathing.

Etiology

- Development and morphological anomalies like abnormal development of nasal cavity, nasal turbinates, and short upper lip.

- Partial obstruction due to deviated nasal septum, localized benign tumors.

- Infection and inflamation of nasal cavity.

- Traumatic injuries to the nasal cavity.

- Genetic pattern - Ectomorphic children

Clinical Features:

- General Features:

1. In mouth breathes the oro- pharynx is dry and can produce a low grade esophagitis.
2. In order to breathe, the child bends the neck forward giving appearance of a pigeon chest.
3. Maxillary sinus and nasal cavity becomes narrowed.
4. Turbinates become swollen and engarged.
5. Speech  acquires a nasal tone
6. Sleep apnea syndrome.

- Appearance:

1. Adenoid facies which is the characteristic feature of mouth breathers.
2. Lips are held wide apart
3. Upper lip is short
4. Long narrow face and long narrow nose
5. Loss of facial expression

- Dental and Skeletal:

1. Low tongue position
2. Narrow maxillary area
3. High palatal vault
4. Anterioir open bite
5. Gummy smile
6. Increased incidence of caries
7. Chronic keratinized marginal gingivitis

Treatement:

1. Main reason of management of mouth-breathing patient is to treat and eliminate the cause or pathology that created the habit.
2. This should be followed by symptomatic treatement, interruption of habit, correction of malocclusion.
3. Appliances that can be used are oral screen.
4. Deep breathing exercises.
5. Lip exercises 15-30 min/day for 4-5 months.