Dental Disorders 

The Hidden Cost of Mouth Breathing: Dental and Health Impacts

Did you know that how your child breathes could shape their face, teeth, sleep quality, and long-term health?

Mouth breathing isn’t just a harmless habit—it’s strongly linked to a range of dental, facial, and health issues. If left uncorrected, mouth breathing in children can lead to:

• Crooked teeth

• Receding chin

• Narrow jaws and airway

• Enlarged adenoids and tonsils

• Higher risk of obstructive sleep apnoea and cardiovascular problems in adulthood

Helping children and adults correct dysfunctional breathing habits can lead to dramatic improvements in dental and overall health.

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How Mouth Breathing Affects Your Child's Face, Teeth & Health

Mouth breathing changes the natural development of a child’s face and dental structures. Unlike nasal breathing, where the tongue rests in the roof of the mouth helping to widen the dental arches, mouth breathing causes the tongue to drop, allowing the cheeks to push inward. This leads to:

• Narrow arches and crowded teeth

• Malocclusion (misaligned bite)

• Underdeveloped jaws

• A long, narrow face ("long face syndrome")

• A higher risk of sleep-disordered breathing

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📷 Before and After:

The image series of a boy named Ben (courtesy of Orthotropics.com) shows the profound difference between vertical facial growth from mouth breathing and horizontal, healthier facial growth once nasal breathing is restored.

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Common Signs of Mouth Breathing in Children

Could your child be mouth breathing without you realising? Look for these signs:

• Open-mouth posture (especially while asleep)

• Dry lips and bad breath

• Snoring or noisy sleep

• Daytime fatigue or behavioural issues

• Frequent colds, ear or sinus infections

• Crooked teeth or long, narrow face

• “Allergic shiners” (dark circles under eyes)

• Gums visible when smiling

• Sleep apnoea symptoms

• Enlarged adenoids or tonsils

💡 Virtually all adult clients with obstructive sleep apnoea report being mouth breathers in childhood—and many had teeth extracted in their teens.

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The Role of Tongue Position in Facial Development

Your tongue plays a powerful, often overlooked role in shaping the jaw and supporting straight teeth.

• Nasal breathing allows the tongue to rest against the roof of the mouth, promoting wide dental arches and balanced facial development.

• Mouth breathing causes the tongue to sit low, weakening this natural support and allowing the cheeks to push the jaw inward—resulting in narrow arches and misalignment.

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Why Early Intervention Matters

More and more dentists now recognise the critical connection between breathing and facial development. Early intervention can help prevent:

• Orthodontic relapse (teeth shifting after braces)

• The need for extractions

• Severe sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnoea

As Nic Anderson of Alpers Dental puts it:

"If the ingrained habit of mouth breathing is not corrected, all orthodontic treatments will relapse."

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Breathing Retraining: The Missing Piece in Dental and Sleep Health

The Breathe Well Course is an evidence-based programme rooted in the Buteyko Method, which addresses mouth breathing and its consequences. The approach helps:

• Promote nasal breathing

• Normalize tongue posture

• Support wider jaw development

• Improve sleep and reduce snoring

• Enhance dental hygiene (by reducing dry mouth, plaque buildup, and halitosis)​

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✅ The Breathing Programme Can Help With:

• Snoring & obstructive sleep apnoea

• Enlarged adenoids & tonsils

• Chronic mouth breathing

• Narrow airways

• Periodontal disease & gum health

• Dental caries & bad breath

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📞 Book a Consultation

Help your child grow into a healthier smile—and avoid years of unnecessary dental work. Or reverse the impacts of mouth breathing in adulthood.

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