Overview
Mouth breathing, especially when chronic, can significantly impact facial structure, particularly in children and adolescents whose faces are still developing
1. Altered jaw and mouth
Mouth breathing can lead to an open mouth posture, where the lips do not naturally close. This can result in teeth being exposed and the lips appearing everted or thicker than normal. The lower jaw may also recede, leading to a weakened chin.This will cause chin retraction and double chin.
2. Changes in dental structure
The dental arches can narrow due to the cheeks’ muscle pressure, which can cause the upper front teeth to protrude, potentially leading to buck teeth.
3. Crooked nose
When breathing through the mouth, the tongue lowers, which reduces pressure on the palate. This can lead to a deeper hard palate and external compression of the upper jaw by the mouth muscles. Also, the lack of airflow through the nasal cavity can cause the nasal passages to narrow.Over time, this will cause the nose shape to become crooked or enlarged.
Overall facial appearance
Mouth breathing can lead to a narrow face, sunken eyes, a crooked nose, and poor cheekbone definition. The face may also appear elongated.
How to fix mouth breather face?
It is important to note that the severity of these effects can vary. Early intervention and correction of mouth breathing habits are crucial, especially in children, to minimize potential long-term impacts on facial development.Early use of nasal breathing instead of mouth breathing can greatly assist in the recovery of facial morphology.