Is breathing through the mouth harmful to health? In many cases, yes. What to do about it & how to breathe through your nose again.
To cut a long story short: breathing through your mouth while sleeping is less healthy than breathing through your nose.
Those who regularly breathe through their mouths while sleeping can expect some negative consequences:
- Often mouth breathing leads to loud snoring .
- Usually less oxygen gets into the body than through the nose.
- The mouth dries out – bacteria multiply more and cause dental problems.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the causes, common symptoms & solutions for mouth breathing.
As always, it is also true here that an online guide cannot replace a personal conversation with a doctor. When in doubt, you should always seek the advice of a professional.
Index
Breathe through your nose or your mouth?
We supply our body with oxygen in 2 different ways.
- Through the nose: Most of the time, we breathe in oxygen through the nose, which then travels to the lungs.
- Through the mouth: In some situations (e.g. sport) the body needs a particularly large amount of oxygen, then mouth breathing occurs.
A healthy person uses both variants in everyday life and, in principle, neither of them is unhealthy. The normal state, however, is breathing through the nose, because it takes on some important functions:
The benefits of nasal breathing
The advantages are particularly noticeable when breathing over longer periods of time, including when sleeping:
- The nose acts like a filter for dust particles & pollen
- In winter, the nose warms the air before it is directed into the lungs.
- It also humidifies the air, thereby relieving the bronchi in the lungs.
- Last but not least, the nostrils narrow the air into a steady flow, making breathing more effective than through the mouth.
Nasal breathing is the optimal state.
With allergies or other complaints, however, it can happen that the nose is blocked and we prefer to breathe through the mouth.
The causes of breathing through the mouth
Most people breathe through their mouths when they cannot take in enough air through their nose.
- This is normal for strenuous activities such as exercise. The mouth is much larger than the nostrils and can carry more oxygen to the lungs.
- It becomes problematic if the nostrils are permanently blocked by allergies or illnesses and the mouth is the only way to breathe freely.
If you have a common cold and only breathe through your mouth for a short period of time, you are unlikely to notice any adverse effects.
Risk factors for sleeping with your mouth open
Many people with chronic allergies, asthma, sinus infections ( sinusitis ) or chronic stress are at increased risk – and often breathe through their mouths while they sleep without being noticed.
If your nose is chronically blocked, we recommend going to the doctor. In addition to allergic reactions & colds, other reasons for breathing through the mouth can also be responsible:
Other causes that favor mouth breathing
Often, nasal congestion has anatomical causes, such as crooked nasal walls or a special shape of the teeth, chin or nose itself. Some medications also lead to blocked nasal breathing.
Last but not least, breathing through your mouth can also be a habit, especially in children. As a parent, you should therefore watch your children closely and see a doctor as soon as possible if they experience symptoms.
When sleeping with your mouth open is unhealthy
Breathing through your mouth during a cold often leaves you with no symptoms. However, if you breathe through your mouth for a long time while sleeping, you will likely notice one of the following signs:
- Dry mouth: The thin film of saliva on our teeth dries out quickly due to the newly absorbed air.
- Bad breath: The lack of saliva favors the spread of bacteria and plaque. In many cases this leads to bad breath .
- Sleep interruption: Children in particular often have problems staying asleep or suffer from poor concentration during the day.
- Mouth snoring: Some bottlenecks in the body can lead to loud snoring if air is inhaled through the mouth.
There are other symptoms as well, such as inflammation of the gums (up to periodontal disease), but in most cases people will experience the above symptoms.
Doctors often diagnose mouth breathing during routine checks, for example during a normal medical examination at the doctor’s or when checking the gums at the dentist.
The risks of mouth breathing
So, in the long run, you have to expect a multitude of health risks.
Untreated mouth breathing can also exacerbate existing breathing difficulties such as asthma, lead to more frequent infections and even impair the function of the lungs .
- In addition, a dry mouth increases the risk of tooth decay. If you suffer from it, you should pay special attention to your oral hygiene.
- You can find more information about perhaps the greatest help when brushing your teeth here: The best electric toothbrushes tested .
The risk of physical changes also increases, especially in children. Breathing through the mouth can cause changes in the mouth and face for years.
What to do about mouth breathing while you sleep
In any case, a visit to the doctor is recommended, because he can determine the exact causes. An allergic reaction must be treated differently from anatomical causes such as crooked nasal walls.
If you have severe allergic reactions, your doctor may prescribe sprays with antihistamines to reduce inflammation. In serious (and rare) cases, surgical measures are also necessary to correct malpositions of the nose.
For children with defective breathing, there are other methods that can be used in consultation with a doctor.
Home remedies to improve nasal breathing
Cold teas, for example, help with a runny nose .
- Over-the-counter nasal sprays with sea salt or herbs also help many people and can make it possible to breathe freely through the nose again.
- If your mouth is dry, mouthwashes with herbs and other active ingredients can improve the oral flora. Correctly brushing your teeth or chewing gum regularly can also help.
In some cases – for example with anatomical misalignments – so-called nasal spreaders or nasal plasters also bring relief. These little plastic helpers widen the nostrils and make it easier for air to get into the lungs.
Tip: Here is a list of the best anti-snoring aids .
Of course, going to the family doctor never hurts.
Summary: What works against breathing through the mouth
This article covered the most important things you should know about mouth breathing.
To keep the information in mind, here is a summary of the most important points:
- Pay attention to possible symptoms & signs of mouth breathing while sleeping. If you are not sure, be sure to talk about it the next time you visit your doctor.
- Learn more about the causes: is a stuffy nose causing your symptoms? Or have you just got used to wrong breathing? In order to take the correct action, you should know the source of the problem.
- The last step is the treatment. Small colds can often be contained with over-the-counter nasal sprays. However, chronic allergies or anatomical reasons necessarily require the advice of a doctor.
The sooner you address the problem, the less likely it is to have health problems. In most cases, minor changes are sufficient to reduce mouth breathing while sleeping.
Here are more tips for healthier sleep .
I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.