Does mouth breathing really make people ugly? What dentists have to say!

What is mouth breathing?

Our breathing can be divided into two types: nasal breathing and mouth breathing. During normal breathing, the air enters the lungs from the nasal cavity. If due to other reasons, the air does not enter the lungs from the nose but from the mouth, it will form the so-called "mouth breathing".

What "other reasons" are causing this abnormal breathing?

1. Pathological factors: When rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal concha hypertrophy, nasal septum congestion, adenoma hypertrophy and nasal tumors occur, the normal nasal passage is partially or completely blocked, and the patient is forced to breathe through the mouth, which will cause over time.

2. Habitual factors: In this case, the nasal cavity is not blocked, but the child still breathes through the mouth habitually, or after the common causes of nasal obstruction are eliminated, the child still breathes through the mouth habitually. Many people still wonder - how do I know if I (my child) breathes through the mouth? How should I judge?

There are two very simple ways to test yourself or help others test

1. Double-sided mirror method: Prepare a double-sided mirror, place the mirror between the nostrils and lips in an environment below room temperature, and observe the mouth and nose surfaces of the mirror for fog after 1-2 minutes. If there is fog, it means nasal breathing, otherwise it means mouth breathing.

2. Cotton wool test method Take a piece of cotton wool or a thin soft paper and place it in front of the child's nostrils and next to the mouth, as close as possible, and then observe the fluttering of the cotton wool in the two places. If it flutters strongly in front of the nostrils, it is nasal ventilation; otherwise, it is oral ventilation.

In the hospital, doctors can use lateral head X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to further confirm the diagnosis. But in general, as long as it does not affect your daily life, there is no need to go to such great lengths...

Does mouth breathing really make people ugly?

The answer is: Yes!

Especially for children in the growth and development period, long-term mouth breathing will destroy the dynamic balance inside and outside the dental arch, thus affecting the development of the maxillofacial region.

The specific manifestations are: narrow dental arch, high arched palate, crowded upper teeth or maxillary protrusion, mandibular retraction. It can also cause a flat nose, a shorter and thicker upper lip, eversion, a longer face, and a forward neck, which greatly affects the child's profile.

Mouth breathing not only affects appearance. In addition, during the peak period of children's growth and development, the brain development requires a large amount of oxygen. If children breathe through the mouth, they will be in a state of hypoxia for a long time, which will have a great impact on their height, growth, and intellectual development.

What should I do if I find myself mouth breathing?

Some parents say that the mouth-breathing patch that is popular on the Internet should be used to cover her mouth. Remember! Do not do this! The "mouth-breathing correction patch" cannot fundamentally solve the problem of nasal breathing obstruction, nor can it really change the habit. It just roughly covers the mouth. For mouth-breathing caused by functional factors, the consequences of directly covering the mouth are disastrous... Therefore, to fundamentally solve mouth-breathing, you have to prescribe the right medicine! First, clarify the cause of the disease, clarify the nasal ventilation situation, and determine the cause of mouth-breathing.

1. Check if there are any airway problems. First, treat the disease that causes nasal breathing disorders. Once you find "mouth breathing" caused by enlarged adenoids or tonsils, the sooner you treat it, the better.

2. If the airway is unobstructed, then you need to correct bad habits, otherwise it will cause a series of malocclusions. For example, uneven teeth, buck teeth, small chin, etc. At this time, you should find a professional dentist and take professional measures to intervene early to break bad oral habits; early correction of various malocclusions that affect children's teeth, lips, jaws, and facial development.

Warm reminder, if you have such problems, you must pay attention to it as soon as possible! Don't let "mouth breathing" kill your appearance!