Because breathing is something we all do all the time without really thinking about it, the idea that there are unhealthy ways to do it might take some people by surprise.
Breathing through your mouth rather than your nose can lead to a wide array of health and hygiene problems. It’s important to establish healthy breathing habits early in life, so today we’re going to discuss the effects of mouth-breathing on children, and how you can help your kids break the habit.
Why Is Mouth-Breathing Bad For Kids?
Mouth-breathing can cause all kinds of short-term issues for children, many of which are connected to poor sleep quality from getting insufficient oxygen by breathing through the mouth. If your child is exhibiting the following symptoms, it may be due to mouth-breathing.
Negative Effects Continue Past Childhood
While the above issues are bad enough, the problems that come from mouth-breathing don’t stop there. If left unchecked even as the person grows up, mouth-breathing can cause the following:
Mouth-breathing can also potentially lead to other oral health issues such as TMJ:
If It’s So Unhealthy, Why Do Kids (And Adults) Do It?
The habit of mouth-breathing can be caused by many different things. For some kids, it’s simply habit, in which case parents can encourage them to breathe through their noses. For others, mouth-breathing could be the result of a different condition. A misaligned bite that makes it difficult to keep the mouth closed, allergies that clog up the nose, and large tonsils that obstruct the airway are all causes that make mouth-breathing a more complicated matter to fix.
Helping Your Child Breathe Healthy For Life
If your child has a mouth-breathing habit, it often isn’t as simple to break as telling them to stop. When it’s caused by one of the problems listed above, they will need treatment before nose-breathing can become natural (and in some cases, possible). Schedule an appointment with KIDS so that we can determine the cause of the mouth-breathing and what action to take next to encourage healthier breathing.
KIDS – Healthy Kids Nurtured by Nature
p:(07) 4942 5111
e: mackay@healthykidsqld.com.au
a: 6 Discovery Lane, Mackay QLD 4740
Monday 9:00am to 5:00pm
Tuesday 9:00am to 5:00pm
Wednesday 9:00am to 5:00pm
Thursday 9:00am to 5:00pm
Friday 9:00am to 3:00pm
Saturday – CLOSED
Sunday – CLOSED
Lip and Tongue Tie Forms:
- Child New Patient Form
- Expectations Lip and Tongue Tie
- Stretching Video
- Health Professional Comms Form