Due to a non-healthy airway you are at greater risk to developing a number of complications. Lack of nasal airway can have a negative effect on the way your jaw bones grow and how the teeth come into contact.

Most children today suffer from some form of allergic, inflammatory response to breathing that stresses their sinuses and ultimately hinders the craniofacial growth of their skulls.

The primary causes of upper airway obstruction are, an under developed upper jaw, inflamed tonsils, inflamed adenoids, and a deviated septum.

85% of nasal airway is made up of the maxillary or upper jaw bones. An under developed upper jaw can cause the lower jaw to be held back in growth. This may decrease space for the tongue, and will impede the airway.

Children, who breathe through their nose, have a more neutral tongue, and generally grow the maxillary bone in a symmetric wide arch. When the tongue doesn’t fit in the dental arches it retracts back into the throat and pushes on the floor of the mouth. The tongue is a powerful muscle and is a major player in facial growth. Asymmetric breathing patterns generally constrict the arch, vault the palate and give the maxillary bone a V shape. Expanding the vaulted palate at a young age (6-12 yrs. old) making more room for the tongue to rest can help correct this problem. This procedure is done at an orthodontic office.

Any anatomy problems such as tonsillitis may obstruct the airway and cause problems such as snoring, nasal congestion, chronic ear infections, and mouth breathing. These problems can lead to a malocclusion of bad bites at a young age. In addition, mouth breathing can result in a strong gag reflex, which makes it hard to brush your teeth or even use eating utensils.

As humans we are not meant to breathe out of our mouth so when this done over long periods of time the body suffers greatly.