There are a lot of reasons your child may breathe through their mouth, from illness-related congestion to a simple habit. While the occasional mouth breathing isn’t usually a big deal, it’s crucial to recognize when occasional gives way to frequent, and when you should seek help.
Let’s look at a few illnesses that can cause your child to mouth breathe, how consistent mouth breathing can affect them and how you can help.
Reasons for Pediatric Mouth Breathing
A few common conditions that can cause your child to mouth breathe include:
- Colds
- Allergies
- Sinus infections
- Deviated septum
- Nasal polyps
- Enlarged adenoids or tonsils
The Impact of Consistent Mouth Breathing
Bad breath, hoarseness and dental issues are the three main side effects of consistent mouth breathing. Bad breath and hoarseness both stem from the dry mouth your child gets from breathing through their mouth.
There are two types of dental issues common with pediatric mouth breathing: an increased risk of periodontal diseases—inflammation or infection in the gums and bones around the teeth—and facial skeletal development issues—misaligned upper and lower jawbone and teeth.[1],[2] Children who have teeth alignment issues from mouth breathing may require orthodontic care later in life.
Preventing Mouth Breathing
Some mouth breathing is just a habit, often learned during an illness. Checking for and addressing an underlying condition is the first step in preventing mouth breathing. If your child is consistently mouth-breathing during the day or open-mouth snoring at night, schedule an appointment with ENT for Children. We’ll perform an ENT exam to identify the underlying condition and initiate appropriate treatment.
If your child continues to mouth breathe during the day after treatment, it’s likely a habit; gently remind your child to breathe through their nose as often as possible. You can even sign them up for kids yoga at Nanda Yoga and ask the instructor to emphasize healthy breathing!
[1] Lin, L., Zhao, T., Qin, D., Hua, F., & He, H. (2022). The impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development: A concise review. Frontiers in public health, 10, 929165. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.929165
[2] Zhao, Z., Zheng, L., Huang, X., Li, C., Liu, J., & Hu, Y. (2021). Effects of mouth breathing on facial skeletal development in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC oral health, 21(1), 108. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-021-01458-7