Mouth-breathing epidemic

Breathing is the ‘new black’ and there has been a spate of articles on the topic in the last few months. This article by Sydney GP, Dr Suzan Berkir is a beauty, and she is not overstating it to say that mouth breathing and its hazards are now at epidemic levels in young children. As the article says, mouth breathing risks children developing:

• craniofacial growth abnormalities
• dental and orthodontic problems
• poor posture
• reduced exercise capacity
• sleep disordered breathing
• fatigue
• worsening of asthma
• dry mouth,
• reduced saliva and halitosis
• academic performance well below potential

Tongue tie might also be a factor in breathing issues. A closed mouth and tongue resting in the roof of the mouth are essential for correct craniofacial development. A tongue tie can limit tongue mobility and contribute to the mouth-breathing problem. 

How to test for a tongue tie? Ask your child to open wide and then ask them to touch the tip if their tongue to the roof of the mouth, keeping mouth wide open. If they struggle to do this they may have a short frenulum. The same dentists that specialise in early intervention orthodontics can also assess your child for possible tongue tie.