Breathing through the mouth can be harmful. In general, the nose is the main passage through which we breathe normally, while the mouth is only used for eating and talking. As a result, frequent use of mouth breathing may lead to the following problems:
1. Reduced breathing efficiency: Mouth breathing is often less efficient than nose breathing. There are many tiny fine hairs and mucous membranes in the nasal cavity that purify, humidify, and warm the air to protect our respiratory tract from harmful substances. Mouth breathing does not provide this protection, making it easier to inhale unhealthy air.
2. Dry throat: When we breathe through our mouths, a lot of air enters our throats and lungs through our mouths, which can cause dry and uncomfortable throats. Breathing through the mouth for a long time may lead to problems such as throat inflammation and hoarseness.
3. Increased Oral Problems: Breathing through the mouth can also lead to oral problems. Because the mouth is open for a long time, the saliva production in the mouth decreases, which reduces the protection of the teeth. Lack of adequate saliva can lead to problems such as dry mouth, tooth decay, bad breath, etc.
4. Affects facial development: Normally developing facial bones and teeth require normal tongue position and mouth closure. Breathing through the mouth for a long time can lead to abnormal development of the mouth, jaw and teeth, such as narrow maxilla, crowded teeth, etc.
5. Aggravate nasal problems: Mouth breathing can easily lead to nasal congestion, because breathing without nasal cavity can cause the mucous membranes in the nasal cavity to be dry, congested, and swollen. Nasal congestion can worsen symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, it may cause nasal problems such as sinusitis.
6. Increased risk of infection: Normal nose breathing filters bacteria and viruses from the air, reducing the risk of infection. Breathing through the mouth, on the other hand, does not provide this filtering function, making it easy to inhale bacteria and viruses, increasing the likelihood of infection.
To sum up, frequent use of mouth breathing can pose a range of hazards. In order to protect our respiratory system and oral health, we should develop good nose breathing habits and try to avoid breathing through our mouths. If you find that you often breathe through your mouth or have related problems, you should seek help from your doctor as soon as possible and treat and improve accordingly.