Oral cavity Breathing and Dental Well being

http://www.wellspoken.com.au/img/therapy01.jpg Breathing is something that we do automatically to stay alive therefore almost all of us do not think twice about it. This is properly natural to breathe through the mouth area at certain conditions such as when running or lifting heavy objects, however if breathing occurs through the mouth habitually then it can result in many health problems. These problems can be particularly severe for children as mouth inhalation can affect the permanent advancement the face and jaw. So just why Breathe Through the Mouth? Normal inhalation is when we inhale through the nose with the mouth closed. The most orofacial myology clear reason for anyone to be a mouth breather is they cannot get enough air through the nose. Prevalent reasons for blocked nose passages include: Allergies - which can cause polyps or swelling of the nasal lining Enlarged tonsils or adenoids Deviated nose septum Respiratory infections - cold or flu Indications that may indicate nose difficulty in breathing or airway obstruction are: Apnea, sleep apnoea Frequent higher airway infections Sounding 'stuffy' during the day/night Dark circles under the eye Effects on Teeth, Chin and Posture As pointed out before, mouth breathing can lead to many health problems, in particular dental care health problems. When we breathe through your oral cavity, there is loss of salivand dryness of the mouth which can raise the risk of teeth decay and inflammation of the gums. Also, oral cavity breathing can lead to alterations in the mouth and facial growth. The normal resting position of the tongue increased against the roof of your mouth to compensate the forces of the face, however when a person breathes through your mouth area, the tongue drops. This kind of causes the narrowing of the upper jaw and elongation of the lower jaw, causing the long, narrow face shape, typically known as 'long face syndrome'. As a result of narrowing of the jaws, crowding of the teeth, overbite problems and malocclusion is visible. Modification in head posture is another effect that can result. Chronic mouth breathers tend to tilt the head backwards and trim the head forward in front of the shoulder blades to keep your airway open up. This permits them to breathe better, however can have lead to permanent problems of the neck of the guitar and back. Treatment Treatment of mouth breathing is dependent after the underlying cause. This requires a comprehensive approach where your dental practitioner, GP, ear-nose-throat specialist (ENT) and sleep physician may be engaged in deciding the treatment needed. Treatment may include prescription of certain medicines, surgery and myofunctional remedy and inhaling and exhaling exercises. Airway obstruction is a frequent cause of mouth breathing and often a full assessment by an ENT is needed to decide the treating the blockage. Often certain medicines can be approved to increase nasal airflow and reduce obstructions like swelling of the nasal lining and polyps. For more complicated blockages such as enflamed tonsils or adenoids, surgery may be necessary to take them off. Occasionally even after removal of the airway obstruction, mouth area breathing is still present as it is now habitual. If perhaps this is the circumstance, myofuntional remedy along with specific breathing and muscle exercises can help in establishing nasal breathing. Exercises that aim at conditioning the facial muscles along with specific oral devices encourage nasal breathing and for that reason can aid in the proper growth and face development. This can be imperative in young children because they are still in their growing stages.