LAX Leader

• Mouth breathing can lead to dental issues, including gingivitis and cavity development.
• As many as 60% of adults breathe through their mouth.
• Procedures such as a balloon sinuplasty or endoscopy can help a patient to breathe better through their nose.

Mouth breathing and sinusitis, according to Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, can lead to other health issues and affect your quality of life.

“Unfortunately for our chronic sinusitis suffers, chronic sinusitis has a big effect on multiple other body and organ systems,” Hershcovitch told LAX Leader. “Humans are obligate nasal breathers; everything we breathe in is primarily through our nose.

Hershcovitch pointed out that people suffering with chronic sinusitis or nasal obstruction have more difficulty breathing through their noses.

“But if you have diseased sinuses, the air you're breathing in is not being filtered appropriately,” he said. “The disease and bacteria in the sinuses are often going inward with the breath and causing lung problems.”

People who suffer from chronic sinus issues or allergies frequently breathe through their mouths, which can lead to oral issues, according to McCarl Dental Group. By breathing this way, people end up drying their saliva, setting the foundation for the growth of bacteria and plaque on teeth, leading to gum disease, cavities and chronic bad breath. Breathing through the mouth on a regular basis over extended periods of time also can lead to snoring, sleep apnea, enlarged tonsils, strained jaw joints and an increased susceptibility to airway issues, such as asthma.

“And for those with severe obstruction, you're being forced then to breathe through your mouth, which can lead to all sorts of other health problems, including dental problems,” Hershcovitch said. “Dental caries, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, reflux is going to lead to halitosis or bad breath as well. So many of these problems are caused and triggered by a problem at the very front of the aerodigestive tract, which is your sinuses."

According to Healthline, mouth breathing can dry out the month, leading to an environment ripe for the formation of gingivitis and cavity development.

KTM Yoga reported that people should be breathing through their noses most of the time, but up to 60% of adults frequently breathe through their mouths. The hair and mucus in the nose serves as a filter to trap bacteria and dust, and nasal breathing also boosts the intake of oxygen and brain activity. The benefits of breathing through the nose include regulating airflow, which widens blood vessels and slows the heart rate, resulting in a feeling of calm.

WebMD reported that people who battle chronic sinusitis have treatment options, including balloon sinuplasty and endoscopy. During an endoscopy procedure, doctors insert thin, flexible instruments called endoscopes into the nasal passages and view the cavity on a screen, providing a view of obstructions, using instruments to remove blockages, including scar tissue and polyps. While the procedure requires a local anesthetic, there are no incisions and the recovery period is relatively quick.

A newer treatment option is balloon sinuplasty, during which a doctor inserts a tube with a small balloon into the nasal cavity and guides it the blocked area. It is then inflated to clear the passage, allowing the sinuses to drain and reducing congestion.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.