Marina Del Rey doctor: Mouth breathing over nose breathing ‘leads to chronic problems’

• There are a number of reasons why nose breathing is significantly better for your health than mouth breathing.
• Mouth breathing can lead to dental issues.
• Seeking sinus treatment from an ENT specialist can help improve nasal breathing.

If you’re struggling with sinus problems, you might be breathing through your mouth when you really should be breathing through your nose. Dr. Farhad Sigari of Del Rey MD said that when you’re breathing through your mouth, you can be exposed to many other chronic issues.

“We have a lot of patients who wake up in the morning with a significant dry mouth,” Dr. Sigari told LAX Leader. “A lot of it is related to their constant mouth breathing, and that dries out their mouth; it dries out the tissues in the mouth. It exposes them to the effects of the bacteria in the mouth more, and it leads to chronic problems.”

According to an article by HuffPost, it’s essential to breathe through your nose because it serves as a natural filter. The tiny hairs inside our noses capture particles and dust, while the mucus traps smaller and potentially harmful substances like fungal spores, pollen, and even bacteria and some viruses. Moreover, from a physiological perspective, our noses are designed to slow down the airflow, allowing it to reach body temperature. This process ensures that the air entering your lungs is fully humidified.

Excessive mouth breathing can also have detrimental effects on your dental health, according to HuffPost. It may result in conditions such as enlarged tonsils, teeth grinding, jaw joint complications, tooth erosion, misalignment of teeth, and periodontal disease

Bad breath is another struggle that can result from mouth breathing, according to Cleveland Clinic. Breathing through the mouth disrupts the regular flow of saliva, which typically plays a role in keeping your mouth clean, and then leads to bad breath.

HuffPost noted that some people have gone through extreme measures to try and treat their mouth breathing, including taping their mouths shut while sleeping. However, these measures aren’t an ideal solution, and the simplest way to fix the problem would be to see an ENT specialist for quick and easy treatment.

Dr. Sigari and Del Rey MD offer professional medical services in the greater Los Angeles area to treat sinus discomfort. For more information, please visit Del Rey MD’s website.