LA Harbor News

• People suffering from chronic sinus problems are more likely to breathe through their mouths. 
• Mouth breathing can lead to oral health issues and sleep disorders. 
• Some signs that you are a mouth breather include sleeping with your mouth open, snoring, drooling while sleeping, and irritability during the day.

Mouth breathing, the habit of breathing through your mouth rather than your nose, is an unpleasant side effect of sinus problems and can cause several health issues. According to Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free, breathing properly is very important.  

“Unfortunately for our chronic sinusitis sufferers, chronic sinusitis has a big effect on multiple other body and organ systems,” Dr. Hershcovitch told the LA Harbor News. “Humans are obligate nasal breathers; everything we breathe in is primarily through our nose. Now, people with nasal obstruction of chronic sinusitis have more difficulty with that. But if you have diseased sinuses the air you're breathing in is not being filtered appropriately.”

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, allowing bacteria and plaque to build up on the teeth, which can cause cavities, gum disease, and chronic bad breath. Over time, regularly breathing through the mouth can also lead to strained jaw joints, snoring, sleep apnea, enlarged tonsils, and a higher risk for airway disorders, such as asthma. 

KTM Yoga reports that although most 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.

According to Healthline, mouth breathing dries out the mouth, creating the proper environment for gingivitis and cavity development. Overall, nose breathing is more beneficial than mouth breathing.

Chronic sinus problems are one reason that people may begin snoring, according to Kaplan Sinus Relief. Short-term effects of snoring include fatigue during the day, headaches, chest pain during the night, and a sore throat in the morning. Snoring takes place when your body is unable to breathe properly through the nose while sleeping, which can happen when the sinuses are inflamed or infected. Breathing through the mouth while sleeping causes the airways to narrow, and the soft tissues in the throat vibrate, causing the snoring sound.

According to SoCal Breathe Free's website, Dr. Matt Hershcovitch earned his undergraduate degree in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He attended medical school at the State University of New York. Hershcovitch completed his residency in head and neck surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and further specialized with a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford University.