Mouth breathing is breathing through an open mouth instead of the nose, during the day, during sleep, or both. When a child breathes through their mouth, their tongue drops from the roof of their mouth, and the upward pressure that guides palate and jaw growth is lost. Over time this can narrow their upper jaw and change how their face grows.
Habitual mouth breathing is linked to facial and orthodontic changes, disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue, and reduced oxygen intake that can affect focus, mood, and learning. It is also one of the main contributing factors to sleep disordered breathing. Retraining nasal breathing and tongue posture during childhood, while their jaw is still growing, gives a child's face and airway the chance to develop properly.
