Most people don’t realise just how important nasal breathing is for our health. Breathing through the nose rather than the mouth is key to preventing infections and supporting proper oxygenation of our body. But the benefits go far beyond respiratory health.
Nasal breathing is crucial for jaw and facial development too. However, modern lifestyles and habits have led many to breathe through their mouths instead, which can have lasting health consequences.
In this article, we’ll explore the science of nasal breathing and the impact of mouth breathing on our health.
Nasal Breathing and Why It’s Important
Nasal breathing is inhaling and exhaling through the nose rather than the mouth. When you breathe through your nose, the air is filtered, warmed, and humidified, protecting the lungs and preventing infection. This natural filtration process removes dust, allergens, and pathogens, reducing the risk of respiratory illnesses. Furthermore, the nose produces nitric oxide, which helps expand blood vessels and improve oxygen circulation.
Nasal breathing also supports jaw growth and facial development, especially in children. The slight resistance created when breathing through the nose encourages the tongue to rest naturally on the roof of the mouth, which fosters proper jaw alignment. Over time, this practice contributes to a well-developed jaw, straight teeth, and an optimal airway.
Conversely, mouth breathing often leads to an open-mouth posture, which can alter jaw development and cause sleep disorders.
How Modern Lifestyles Affect Nasal Breathing
Our lifestyles today have significantly impacted natural breathing patterns, promoting mouth breathing over nasal breathing. This change is due to several modern habits that indirectly affect our breathing patterns, from diet to posture to stress.
The increase in mouth breathing is concerning due to its adverse effects on facial structure, jaw alignment, and sleep quality. This habit often begins in childhood and, if left unchecked, can lead to lasting health issues into adulthood.
Sedentary Lifestyles and Posture
A sedentary lifestyle can promote improper nasal breathing. Sitting for prolonged periods, especially when slouched over electronic devices, strains the neck and shoulder muscles, causing the head to lean forward. This forward head posture obstructs the airways, making nasal breathing more difficult and encouraging mouth breathing instead.
Poor posture can further restrict the tongue’s natural resting position on the roof of the mouth, preventing optimal jaw development and airflow through the nasal passages.
Processed Diets and Soft Foods
Diet is another aspect of modern life that has influenced breathing patterns. Historically, humans chewed tougher, fibre-rich foods that promoted jaw strength and development. However, with processed and softer foods now common in most diets, there is less need for chewing.
Reduced chewing impacts the development of facial muscles and bones, contributing to underdeveloped jaws and narrowed airways. A narrowed airway structure can hinder nasal breathing and encourage mouth breathing.
Stress and Shallow Breathing
Stress is a common factor in today’s world, influencing how we breathe. During stressful situations, people often take quick, shallow breaths, also known as chest breathing. Chronic stress can make this shallow breathing pattern a habit, causing insufficient oxygen intake and reinforcing mouth breathing tendencies.
Over time, shallow breathing and mouth breathing combined can alter facial structure, contributing to misalignment of the jaw and breathing difficulties.
Structural Jaw Issues and Nasal Breathing
Structural jaw issues are both a consequence and a cause of mouth breathing, creating a feedback loop that reinforces the problem. When nasal breathing is impaired due to structural issues, mouth breathing becomes a default mechanism.
Children are especially at risk because of their developing facial structures. Continuous mouth breathing can lead to narrow arches, overcrowded teeth, and a longer facial profile, all of which make nasal breathing more difficult.
Additionally, adults with similar jaw structure issues may experience obstructive sleep apnea, as their airways are partially obstructed when lying down, resulting in poor sleep quality.
How to Improve Nasal Breathing
Improving nasal breathing can significantly improve health and well-being, and it’s never too late to change your habits or seek intervention.
Corrective Measures for Jaw Development
Corrective treatments may be effective for those experiencing structural jaw issues due to chronic mouth breathing. Orthodontic interventions, such as braces or expanders, can help widen the jaw and create more room for nasal airflow.
Another effective treatment is myofunctional therapy. It focuses on training the muscles in and around the mouth and face to promote proper breathing patterns. Myofunctional therapy can benefit children, as their facial structures are still developing and more adaptable to change.
In more severe cases, surgical procedures to correct a deviated septum or narrow palate may be recommended to open the nasal passageways and encourage natural nasal breathing.
Posture and Lifestyle Changes
Improving posture can significantly impact breathing habits and facilitate nasal breathing. Taking breaks from screens, practising good posture, and doing exercises that strengthen the core and back muscles can help align the head and neck correctly, making nasal breathing easier.
Another effective method for promoting nasal breathing is through specific breathing exercises. Techniques like the Buteyko method focus on controlled, slow breathing to encourage nasal respiration and reduce dependency on mouth breathing. Regular exercise can help retrain the body to breathe naturally through the nose, even under stress.
Dietary Adjustments
Returning to a more natural diet with firmer, less processed foods can encourage proper chewing and jaw development, which supports nasal breathing. Foods like raw fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed meats require more chewing effort, engaging the jaw muscles and promoting facial structure development. In children, this can lead to better tooth alignment and a wider jaw, creating more space in the nasal cavity and facilitating easier nasal breathing.
Sleep dentistry with Orchard Scotts Dental
Practising nasal breathing in your daily life is a powerful way to support jaw development, improve respiratory health, and foster overall well-being. You can make meaningful strides toward better health by becoming aware of the habits contributing to mouth breathing and taking steps to address them.
Sleep dentistry offers an effective solution for those experiencing significant issues related to improper jaw development due to chronic mouth breathing. Sleep dentists specialise in treatments that address the root causes of sleep-disordered breathing, such as improper jaw alignment or narrowed airways. Using custom oral appliances and targeted therapies, sleep dentistry can help reshape the jaw, improve airway function, and promote healthy breathing patterns, especially during sleep.
Contact us to learn more about our sleep dentistry services.