Why do children sleep with their mouths open?

Many parents have reported that their children like to breathe with their mouths open when they sleep, which makes them worry whether there is something wrong with their children’s health. This worry is necessary. If children frequently breathe through their mouths, it will become a habit and affect the development of their faces. In addition, mouth breathing can easily cause damage to the respiratory tract and lungs. Due to keeping the mouth open for a long time, the oral mucosa will easily dry out and the immunity to germs will be reduced. In short, there are many disadvantages for children to sleep with their mouths open. This article explains how to tell if your child is mouth breathing.

Sleep with your mouth open, be careful about mouth breathing

Mouth breathing, to put it simply, means breathing through the mouth.

The original way for humans to obtain oxygen is to breathe through the nose.

When you cannot breathe through your nose due to a blocked nose, you will get oxygen through mouth breathing.

Therefore, when a baby sleeps with his mouth open, in addition to unconscious movements, parents should also consider whether the baby is breathing through the mouth.

2. How to determine whether the baby is mouth breathing?

1. Unconscious opening of the mouth

When people sleep, their muscles and nerves relax, and sometimes their mouths open unconsciously.

When your baby is sleeping, you can gently support his chin with your hand and close his mouth.

If there is no breathing difficulty, sleep is not affected, and there is no repeated reopening of the mouth.

There is no need to worry about this situation, it is just an occasional unconscious behavior of the baby.

2. Determine mouth breathing

If the baby has difficulty breathing after your mouth is closed and keeps opening his mouth repeatedly, you need further observation.

Tear the tissue into thin strips about 5 cm long or use cotton wool, place them above the baby's mouth and nose and observe.

If you put it above your nose, it won't move, but if you put it above your mouth, it will float with your breathing.

Your baby is more likely to breathe through the mouth.

3. Mouth breathing, hidden information about baby's health

Long-term mouth breathing has a great impact on the baby's health and even appearance.

1. Presence of certain diseases

Enlarged tonsils, enlarged adenoids, blocked nose, etc. can all cause your baby to have difficulty breathing.

As a result, you breathe through your mouth unconsciously.

If your baby does not have a cold or runny nose but breathes through his mouth, you can try changing his pillow to a lower one.

If there is no improvement, it is recommended to take the baby to the ENT department of the hospital for examination.

2. You are more likely to get sick

The nose is the first line of defense of the respiratory system. The air that the nasal cavity can filter contains a large amount of bacteria, germs, and dust.

Breathing through the mouth increases the chance of infection with viruses and bacteria.

3. Buck Teeth

Long-term mouth breathing can also cause the baby's upper and lower jaws to develop poorly and become deformed, and the teeth to grow unevenly.

In severe cases, malocclusion and overbite may occur, affecting the baby's appearance.

4. How to correct your baby's mouth breathing

1. Make sure your baby's nose is unobstructed, and often remind and encourage your baby to close his mouth and breathe through his nose.

After a period of getting used to it, the baby will naturally change.

2. Children who breathe through their mouths for a long time have relaxed muscles around their mouths. Even after your nose is clear, you will get used to keeping your mouth open.

In this case, you can take your child to the dental department to use professional instruments for correction.