Mouth Breathing in Children: Causes and Treatment

Mouth breathing is quite common in children, especially during sleep. While breathing through the mouth occasionally is normal, persistent mouth breathing can lead to many complications. Dentistry for Children is pleased to offer Myobrace therapy, Vivos appliance therapy, and oral motor therapy to treat the underlying cause of mouth breathing, preventing its devastating impacts on your child’s health and development. Visit our Highland office to get your child’s health on track.

Mouth Breathing – An Overview

Mouth breathing can result from a stuffy nose, but that’s just temporary. Persistent mouth breathing, however, can result from blocked nasal passages due to enlarged adenoids, a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, or sinus problems.

Some kids can’t close their mouths properly due to problems with the shape of the mouth and jaw, leading to mouth breathing. Breathing through the mouth may just be a bad habit your child needs to unlearn.

What Are the Symptoms of Mouth Breathing?

Symptoms of mouth breathing include the following:

• Snoring
• Noisy eating
• Speech difficulties
• A hoarse voice
• Bad breath or strong mouth odor
• Frequent tooth decay and cavities
• A dry mouth and cracked lips
• Sleep disorders
• Increased crying episodes at night
• Waking up tired and irritable
• Trouble focusing at school

What Are Complications of Mouth Breathing?

If not addressed, mouth breathing can affect a child’s health and development. Some of the most common complications associated with mouth breathing include the following:

• Sleep Disorders: Mouth breathing increases the risk of developing sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. The condition is characterized by repeated breathing pauses during sleep, with devastating effects on a child’s health and quality of life.
• Facial Development Changes: Mouth breathing can affect a child’s facial development over time, leading to a “mouth breathing face.” It is characterized by a narrowed face, regressed cheekbones, and a receding chin or jaw.
• Dental Problems: Mouth breathing can cause dry mouth and an elevated risk of tooth decay and gum disease. It can also lead to crooked teeth, a crowded mouth, and problems with the bite, including an overbite.
• Speech Difficulties: Mouth breathing can result in tongue thrusting. That can lead to speech problems, including a lisp or difficulty pronouncing certain sounds.
• Behavioral Problems: Mouth breathing can alter sleep patterns leading to daytime fatigue. That often results in behavioral problems similar to those in children with ADHD, including irritability, difficulty concentrating, and hyperactivity.

How Is Mouth Breathing Treated?

There is no single cause of mouth breathing in children; likewise, there is no single treatment. At Dentistry for Children, we offer different treatment options, including Myobrace therapy, Vivos appliance therapy, and oral motor therapy. The right solution for your child will depend on the underlying causes of mouth breathing.

Myobrace Therapy – An Overview

Myobrace therapy addresses poor myofunctional habits, including mouth breathing. Treatment typically involves the use of a series of removable oral appliances your child wears during sleep and 1-2 hours during the day.

The first stage of treatment is known as “habit correction.” It involves teaching your child how to breathe through the nose instead of the mouth and training the tongue to rest in the correct position. We also help your child learn to swallow correctly and keep the lips closed when not speaking or eating.

Reteaching your child how to breathe through the nose and rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth encourages proper development of the jaws. That ensures your little one has sufficient room for the adult teeth yet to erupt, allowing them to come in their correct positions. Myobrace therapy often eliminates the need for orthodontic treatment down the road.

Myobrace therapy includes a patient education program known as “Myobrace Activities” to further address poor myofunctional habits, such as mouth breathing. These activities consist of breathing, tongue, swallowing, lip, and cheek exercises performed at home twice daily.

Vivos Appliance Therapy – An Overview

Vivos appliance therapy is typically used to improve the function of the upper airway and treat sleep apnea in children. It is also highly successful at relieving the symptoms of snoring and mouth breathing. In addition to encouraging nose breathing, Vivos appliances can improve facial growth and development.

Vivos appliance therapy involves the use of a series of oral appliances that are custom fitted to your child’s mouth to gently reposition the upper and lower jaw. That helps open the airways, making it easier for your child to breathe through the nose. It also helps correct the oral posture, ensuring your child has room for the tongue to rest in the proper position.

Vivos appliance therapy is a safe and effective solution to encourage breathing through the nose, manage the symptoms of sleep apnea, enable proper facial growth, and create more space for the incoming teeth. One of the primary benefits of Vivos appliance therapy is that it helps address the underlying causes of mouth breathing rather than just managing the symptoms.

Oral Motor Therapy – An Overview

Oral motor therapy involves a series of exercises and activities designed to improve the control, strength, placement, and coordination of oral structures and muscles in the lips, tongue, cheeks, jaw, and throat. It addresses the underlying muscle imbalances and functional issues contributing to mouth breathing, improving a child’s ability to breathe through the nose.

Some activities you can expect include blowing bubbles and balloons, using straws for drinking, licking lollipops in different positions, puckering the lips, making funny faces, whistling, and other mouth games. The tasks will become more challenging as your child’s muscle strength improves.

Aside from addressing mouth breathing, oral motor therapy is helpful for children with a range of concerns, including speech disorders, feeding difficulties, and developmental delays. Addressing oral motor concerns in young children can improve their quality of life and help them thrive.

Mouth Breathing Treatment Near Me in Highland, IN

Visit Dentistry for Children to learn more about the causes and treatment of mouth breathing in children. Dr. Halum will recommend the ideal solution to treat the underlying causes of your child’s concerns. We invite you to call our office at 219-924-5437 to schedule an appointment or use our online form to request one today!