Does your child breathe through their mouth? Learn about mouth breathing, jaw development, dental arches and when an orthodontic or medical evaluation may be appropriate.
Occasional mouth breathing is normal. A child may temporarily breathe through their mouth when they have a cold, allergies, nasal congestion or during physical activity.
The question becomes more important when mouth breathing is persistent or habitual.
Parents may notice that their child frequently sits, plays or sleeps with their mouth open, has difficulty breathing comfortably through the nose, or regularly wakes with a dry mouth.
Mouth breathing itself is not a diagnosis. It is a breathing pattern that can have many possible causes.
That makes the most important question:
Why is this child breathing through their mouth?
At DeLurgio Orthodontics, Dr. Andrea DeLurgio considers mouth breathing as one part of a broader orthodontic evaluation of the teeth, jaws, dental arches and oral function.
Mouth breathing occurs when a person breathes through the mouth rather than primarily through the nose.
Temporary mouth breathing is common and does not necessarily indicate a problem.
Persistent mouth breathing, however, may deserve further attention—particularly when it occurs alongside other concerns involving nasal breathing, oral posture, dental development or sleep.
A child who mouth-breathes may have:
These observations do not identify the cause by themselves.
There is no single cause of mouth breathing.
One common consideration is difficulty breathing comfortably through the nose.
Potential contributors may include:
Mouth breathing can also become a persistent habit after a period of nasal obstruction.
In some children, mouth breathing may occur alongside differences in oral posture, dental arch development or facial anatomy.
Because several factors can overlap, it is important not to assume that the breathing pattern itself tells us what is causing it.
This distinction is particularly important when evaluating a child who mouth-breathes.
An orthodontist can evaluate structures relevant to orthodontic development, including:
An orthodontic examination, however, does not replace a medical evaluation of the nose or upper airway.
If nasal obstruction is suspected, a pediatrician, primary care physician or ENT may need to evaluate possible medical causes.
The orthodontic evaluation and medical evaluation answer different questions.
This is one of the most common questions parents have.
During childhood, the jaws, dental arches, palate, tongue, lips and facial structures are developing at the same time.
A persistent change in oral posture may be relevant to that developing system, particularly when it occurs alongside other orthodontic findings.
However, facial growth is complex.
It would be inaccurate to assume that mouth breathing automatically causes a specific facial pattern, crowded teeth or a particular jaw relationship.
Children develop differently, and many factors contribute to facial and dental development.
Instead of assuming that mouth breathing caused an orthodontic problem, a better approach is to ask:
Does the child’s breathing pattern occur alongside dental, jaw or oral-development findings that deserve attention?
That is something an orthodontic evaluation can help determine.
Mouth breathing may be more important to investigate when it is persistent or occurs alongside other symptoms.
During the Day
Parents may notice:
During Sleep
Parents may notice:
Orthodontic Findings
A child may also have:
These signs do not diagnose a breathing or sleep disorder.
They simply provide reasons to consider the child’s overall health and development more carefully.
An orthodontist may be able to determine whether mouth breathing occurs alongside an orthodontic concern.
Dr. DeLurgio can evaluate:
The goal is not to assume that every child who mouth-breathes needs orthodontic treatment.
Depending on the findings, the appropriate recommendation could be:
If a child has difficulty breathing comfortably through the nose, it is important to consider potential medical causes.
A pediatrician or ENT may evaluate concerns such as:
This is why mouth breathing should not automatically be treated as an orthodontic problem.
The orthodontist evaluates the orthodontic picture. The medical provider investigates potential medical causes.
Sometimes both perspectives are necessary.
Orthodontics can address dental and jaw-development problems that may occur alongside mouth breathing.
Depending on the patient’s diagnosis, treatment may include:
In some patients, correcting an orthodontic problem may affect available oral space or function.
However, treatment should be recommended because of an individual orthodontic diagnosis, not simply because a child breathes through their mouth.
Orthodontics cannot determine every cause of mouth breathing.
An orthodontist cannot independently determine whether nasal breathing difficulty is caused by:
Similarly, orthodontic treatment should not be presented as a guaranteed way to eliminate mouth breathing or prevent a sleep disorder.
When a medical cause is suspected, appropriate medical evaluation remains important.
If mouth breathing is one of the reasons you are seeking an orthodontic evaluation, Dr. DeLurgio can help assess the orthodontic aspects of your child’s development.
The evaluation may help answer:
An evaluation does not automatically mean treatment is necessary.
Sometimes the best recommendation is simply to observe growth.
Breathing concerns can involve several areas of healthcare.
Depending on the individual situation, a child may benefit from evaluation by:
Orthodontist
Evaluates dental arches, bite, jaws, facial development and oral structures.
Pediatrician or Primary Care Physician
Evaluates the child’s overall health and symptoms.
ENT
Evaluates potential nasal and upper-airway causes of breathing difficulty.
Allergist
May be involved when allergies or chronic inflammatory symptoms are suspected.
Sleep Specialist
May be appropriate when symptoms suggest a possible sleep-related breathing disorder.
The goal is not to have one professional answer every question.
The goal is to make sure each aspect of the child’s health is evaluated by the appropriate professional.
Concerned About Your Child’s Mouth Breathing?
Schedule a Comprehensive Orthodontic Evaluation.
Have questions about your child’s mouth breathing, dental development, jaw growth or orthodontic needs? Dr. Andrea DeLurgio can evaluate the orthodontic aspects of your child’s development and help determine whether additional evaluation may be appropriate.
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