Dr. Dayan’s input on the dangers of mouth breathing in children was published in msn.com’s Better Health Magazine. In the article entitled, “100 Ways Your Home Could Be Making You Sick”, Dr. Dayan revealed that if a child becomes allergic to a family pet their nasal passages could become obstructed, forcing the child to breathe through their mouth. One effective remedy is to avoid keeping pets in the bedroom especially when the child is sleeping. This is very important in infants up to age 9 when the face and airway are developing. You can read the full article here.
The Dangers Of Mouth Breathing In Children
What are the dangers of mouth breathing in children, you might wonder. Mouth breathing is a risk factor for sleep apnea, sleep deprivation, ADHD, poor facial development and crooked teeth. The mouth closed and the tongue on the roof of the mouth is the key to proper development of the face, teeth and airway. As soon as the mouth opens during mouth breathing the tongue drops and the upper jaw starts to grow down instead of forward, the lower jaw grows back instead of forward to avoid being locked in by the upper teeth, the palate collapses and then so does the nose and airway. This can set up the child for a lifetime of problems with sleep, breathing, sleep apnea and expensive braces to straighten the teeth.
Developing children must have the right environment to be able to close the mouth, breathe through the nose and place the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
An Example Of The Dangers Of Mouth Breathing
