NE Valley Times

• 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.

It's important to breathe through your nose, rather than your mouth, because mouth breathing leads to inflammation, which leads to other health issues later on, according to Dr. Franklyn Gergits of Sinus and Allergy Wellness Center.

"By breathing with our mouth open, there's less resistance," Gergits told NE Valley Times. "So it's easier for us to breathe air through the mouth than it is from the nose. We want to breathe through the nose because the nose provides warming, helps humidify and helps us clean and pressurize air for the lungs. Breathing air through the nose with our mouth closed helps deliver more oxygen-carrying capacity, which reduces inflammation and stress to the body. So if chronic sinusitis is taking away the nasal breathing, then we're going to automatically breathe more through the mouth. Again, that proves to be inefficient, breathing through the mouth into the nasal cavity during the day or at night."

According to Healthline, mouth breathing can dry out your mouth, creating the proper environment for gingivitis and cavity development.   

KTM Yoga reports that, although people should breathe through their noses most of the time, as much as 60% of adults often breathe through their mouths. Hair and mucus within the nose act as filters that trap bacteria and dust. Nasal breathing also increases oxygen intake and boosts brain activity. Another benefit of breathing through the nose is that it helps to slow airflow, which widens blood vessels and slows the heart rate, leading to a feeling of calm.

People who suffer from allergies or chronic sinus problems are more likely to breathe through their mouths, but mouth breathing can lead to oral health issues, according to McCarl Dental Group. Mouth breathing dries up saliva, which then allows bacteria and plaque to build up on the teeth, which can cause cavities, gum disease, and chronic bad breath. Regularly breathing through the mouth can also, over time, lead to strained jaw joints, snoring, sleep apnea, enlarged tonsils and a higher risk for airway disorders, such as asthma.         

According to WebMD, people who suffer from chronic sinusitis have several treatment options, including endoscopy and balloon sinuplasty. Endoscopy is a common procedure, during which doctors insert thin, flexible instruments called endoscopes into the nose. One instrument has a small camera lens that sends images back to a screen, allowing the doctor to see where the sinuses are blocked and guide the other instruments to gently remove polyps, scar tissue and other blockages.

Doctors won’t cut into the skin, so your recovery should be relatively fast and easy. Endoscopy is usually done with a local anesthetic, meaning the area will be made numb and the patient remains awake.

Another newer treatment is balloon sinuplasty, which is a good option for patients who don't need anything removed from the sinuses. The doctor puts a thin tube into the nose with a small balloon attached to one end. The doctor then guides the balloon to the blocked area inside the nose and inflates it. The balloon helps clear the passageway so the sinuses can drain properly, alleviating congestion.  

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