It might not be a big feat for you to breathe through your nostrils while you sleep. However, some people can strive for it. It is not only an unpleasant sight but also causes various health problems. Keeping your mouth open during sleep causes your tongue to roll backward, blocking your airway passage.
Why Is My Mouth Open When I Sleep?
You can breathe from either your mouth or your nose. Your nose is the most beneficial passage to fill your lungs with fresh air. Mouth breathing can happen when you have nasal congestion or try to inhale the most oxygen during an exercise. Some other mouth-breathing causes include:
- Deviated Septum
- Crowded Teeth
- Dental Problems
- Enlarged Tonsils
- Sleep Apnea
- Enlarged Turbinates
- Asthma
- Nasal Polyps
Individuals who are unaware of the cause behind your mouth breathing. You can consult a seasoned airway mouth doctor to determine it and opt for the right treatment.
How to Stop Mouth Breathing?
It is hard to tell if you are a mouth breather or not. You must always ask others or record yourself to check for snoring sounds. Nose breathing contains numerous benefits you must not miss out on. Following are some tips to facilitate nose breathing.
1. Get Rid of Nasal Congestion
During winters, the cold and flu are in the air, and so are allergies in various seasons. Flu and allergies can cause nasal blockage for a long time. You can unblock your nasal passage by:
- Use the decongestant sprays in the required dosage.
- Wash your nasal passage with saline water
- Take hot water steam
- Prevent dust from building up on your pillows and sheets
- Drink water and fluids
- Keep the humidifier turned on
2. Give up on Bed Time Snacks and Late Dinner
Looking for the connection between late-night eating and mouth breathing. The reason is when you lie down with a full stomach. The digestive fluids inside your stomach can travel and reside in your ears, sinuses, or nose. This will block the passages and trigger discomfort while breathing. Finish eating at least 2 hours before your bedtime.
3. Practice Makes a Man Perfect
The right breathing method is to inhale through your nostrils and exhale through your mouth. You can practice it during the day, which might let you stop mouth breathing at night.
4. Seek a Therapist
Seek a therapist, such as an expert airway mouth doctor, for myofunctional therapy. With the help of this therapy, an AMD™ can teach you exercises that move your facial muscles to enhance your breathing.
5. Surgery
If none of the above solutions work, you might have some chronic blockage in your nose, such as a deviated or broken nasal septum. It can only be fixed with surgery. You can consult your physician or a surgeon for it.
Final Word
If you find yourself or your loved one breathing through the mouth. It can lead to some serious complications and disrupt your routine life. Wait no longer, and contact Dr. Felix at Whole Health Dental Center.
Our experienced AMD™ believes in successfully connecting your mouth to your whole health. Call us at (703) 385-6425 to book an appointment.