mouth-breathing

Mouth Breathing vs. Nasal Breathing: OMT Improving Health

ByTherapeutic Potentials

Breathing is something we do without thinking, but how you breathe can have a significant impact on your health. Many people are unaware that mouth breathing can lead to various problems. These problems can affect sleep, speech, facial growth, and overall health. Fortunately, orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) can help retrain the body for healthier breathing patterns.

In this post, we will look at the differences between mouth and nasal breathing. We will also discuss the health effects and how OMT can improve your life at any age.

The Difference Between Mouth and Nasal Breathing

Nasal breathing is the natural and preferred way for the body to take in oxygen. The nose acts as a filter, humidifier, and temperature regulator for the air we breathe. It also supports optimal oxygen exchange, activates the diaphragm, and helps maintain proper jaw and tongue posture.

Mouth breathing, on the other hand, bypasses these benefits. It typically occurs when there is a nasal blockage, habit, or structural issue. This can happen sometimes when you have a stuffy nose, and that is normal. However, if you breathe through your mouth all the time, it can affect your growth and daily activities.

Signs of Mouth Breathing

You may not even realize you—or your child—are mouth breathing. Some common signs include:

  • Dry mouth or frequent thirst
  • Snoring or noisy breathing during sleep
  • Chapped lips or bad breath
  • Fatigue, irritability, or difficulty concentrating
  • Open-mouth posture while awake
  • Dark circles under the eyes
  • Crooked teeth or narrow facial structure in children

Mouth breathing often starts in childhood and may be linked to issues like allergies, enlarged tonsils, or tongue ties. Over time, it can lead to lasting consequences if not addressed.

The Health Impacts of Mouth Breathing

Chronic mouth breathing affects more than just how you look—it can influence how you feel, speak, sleep, and grow. Here are some of the potential long-term effects:

1. Poor Sleep Quality

Researchers link mouth breathing to poor sleep. This can cause tiredness, irritability, and behavior problems in children. Conditions like sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea may be more common in mouth breathers.

2. Speech and Swallowing Difficulties

Improper tongue posture from mouth breathing may contribute to articulation issues or inefficient swallowing patterns. This is especially true in children during their developmental years.

3. Facial and Dental Development

In children, prolonged mouth breathing can affect how the face and jaw grow, leading to a narrow palate, overbite, or crowding of the teeth. People sometimes refer to this as “long face syndrome.”

4. Lower Immune Defense

Nasal breathing helps trap and filter bacteria and viruses. When you bypass the nose, you lose this natural defense, potentially making the body more vulnerable to illness.

How Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) Helps

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a specialized treatment that focuses on strengthening the muscles of the face, mouth, and tongue. It can help correct poor habits like mouth breathing by retraining the body to use the proper breathing and swallowing patterns.

At Therapeutic Potentials, our team uses OMT to:

  • Promote nasal breathing
  • Encourage proper tongue posture
  • Support healthy facial and dental development
  • Improve speech clarity and swallowing function
  • Reduce symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing

OMT is non-invasive, exercise-based, and customized for each client. Mouth breathing can affect people of all ages. Often, early help for children includes this. However, it can also help teens and adults who have long-term effects.

Why Early Intervention Matters

Early intervention can help prevent complications before they become more serious. Addressing mouth breathing early—especially in children—can support healthier facial development, better sleep, improved concentration, and clearer speech.

Learn more about our approach to speech therapy in early childhood.

In many cases, professionals use OMT in collaboration with other specialists, such as ENTs, orthodontists, or sleep specialists. Together, we can provide a well-rounded care plan to support the whole person.

What to Expect from an OMT Program

An OMT program at Therapeutic Potentials typically includes:

  • A comprehensive evaluation of breathing, posture, and oral habits
  • Personalized therapy exercises
  • Progress tracking and parent/caregiver education
  • Collaboration with other healthcare providers, if needed

Consistency and active participation are key to success. With time and practice, many clients can switch to nasal breathing. They enjoy the benefits of better health and wellness.

Take the First Step Toward Better Breathing

If you or your child often breathes through the mouth, consider the benefits of orofacial myofunctional therapy. At Therapeutic Potentials, we’re here to help you breathe easier—literally.

Visit our About Us page to learn more about our team or Contact Us to schedule a consultation today.

Similar Posts

Why-Would-a-Child-Need-Occupational-Therapy
|

Why Would a Child Need Occupational Therapy?  

ByTherapeutic Potentials

Every day in this country, thousands of children from all walks of life work with occupational therapists in order to feel more successful as they play, learn, and socialize—the three main “occupations” of a child or teen! If you’re a parent or caregiver, perhaps you’ve wondered whether your child could benefit from OT services, too….

What-is-Occupational-Therapy
|

What is Occupational Therapy?  

ByTherapeutic Potentials

If your healthcare provider recently advised you or your child to see an occupational therapist, you might have some questions. What is an occupational therapist (OT) exactly, and what sort of things does an OT do? What are the benefits of occupational therapy—and does it have anything to do with a person’s career or job?…

What-Are-Examples-of-Speech-Therapy
|

What Are Examples of Speech Therapy?

ByTherapeutic Potentials

If your doctor refers you or your child to speech therapy, you might have several questions about your upcoming care. What does speech therapy look like? What happens during a typical speech therapy session? What sort of activities will I/my child do in speech therapy?  At Therapeutic Potentials, Inc., we welcome questions like these, and hear them often…

Difference-Between-Occupational-Therapy-and-Physical-Therapy
| |

What is the difference between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy?

ByTherapeutic Potentials

Therapeutic Potentials, Inc. offers area-leading physical therapy and occupational therapy for adults and children in Southwestern Florida. These related yet diverse fields of health care are invaluable for individuals with acute and chronic health conditions looking to increase their independence and quality of life.  While similar, these professions are distinct and offer unique benefits to patients and their…

What-does-Speech-Therapy-help-with
|

What does Speech Therapy help with?  

ByTherapeutic Potentials

Speech and language matter! Your loved one’s ability to communicate with others and express their needs is essential for helping them gain independence, enjoy meaningful relationships, and feel successful within the context of their own lives. When your loved one has a mental or physical health condition that impacts the way they speak, think, and…

What-are-school-based-therapy-services
|

What are school-based therapy services?  

ByTherapeutic Potentials

For children and teenagers, the ability to nourish friendships and interact with their peer group is essential for promoting healthy social skills and development. When a child is living with a physical or mental health condition like autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, or visual and hearing impairments, it can be more difficult for them…