Have you ever thought about the way you breathe? 

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Do you breathe more through your mouth or through your nose? 

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Signs of Mouth Breathing: 

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• Crooked teeth

• Tongue thrust swallow habit

• Long narrow face shape

• Yawning/sighing

• Anxiety

• Gum disease

• Cavities

• Dry mouth

• Smelling your breath while wearing a mask

• Noisy breathing at night (often leading to snoring)

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A customized myofunctional therapy program transitions clients from mouth breathing to nasal breathing, a key factor in 

keeping teeth straight after braces. Strong lips that stay together are Nature's retainer for keeping teeth from moving out and forward. When the lips are together, this encourages the tongue to rest on the roof of the mouth (proper oral rest posture). 

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Chronic mouth breathing causes the tongue to rest on the floor of the mouth. Left unchecked, teeth will shift forward and collapse inward. The tongue resting on the roof of the mouth is Nature's palatal expander, counterbalancing the pressure of the cheeks and keeping the palate wide. 

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Watch this video to learn how the negative effects of mouth breathing affect oral health and overall health. 

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Mouth breathing by Dr. German Ramirez-Yanez