Dental News - Dentists crucial for detecting mouth breathing symptoms

Daniel Zimmermann, DTI

Mon. 12 April 2010

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NEW YORK, USA/LEIPZIG, Germany: Medical and dental problems associated with mouth breathing often go unnoticed by health professionals, a new study from the US suggests. The habit, which is caused by abnormalities of the upper respiratory tract, usually occurs in spring when many people suffer from pollen and seasonal allergies. Dentist are advised to regularly check for mouth breathing symptoms and swollen tonsils especially in children as young as 5 years of age, the author recommends.

If untreated, mouth breathing can cause a wide range of medical issues such as poor oxygen concentration in the blood, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea. In addition, it has been found to be responsible for abnormal facial growth primarily in the upper and lower jaw shape of children, leading to Long Face Syndrome, gummy smiles or other malocclusions. Moreover, poor sleeping habits that result from the condition can adversely affect growth and academic performance.

Dentists may be the first to identify the symptoms of mouth breathing, as they typically request that their patients return every six months, which means that some people see their dentist more frequently than they see their physician.

Treatment for mouth breathing can be beneficial for children’s medical and social conditions if caught early. Swollen tonsils and adenoids can be surgically removed by an ear-nose-throat specialist and dentists can use expansion appliances to help widen the sinuses and open nasal airway passages if the face and mouth are narrow.

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