Why Might Attention, Concentration and Facial Development Be Affected in Children Who Breathe Through Their Mouth?

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Oğuz Öztoprak’s functional jaw orthopaedics approach.

Many parents notice crowding in their children’s teeth. However, a more important detail is often overlooked: How does the child breathe? Do they sleep with their mouth open at night? During the day, while playing or doing sports, do they constantly breathe through their mouth?

In fact, these questions are not only about the respiratory system. Because during the growth and development period, the way of breathing is one of the important factors that can affect:

• Jaw development
• Facial development
• Sleep quality
• Concentration
• Posture

Healthy Breathing Starts From the Nose

The human body is basically designed to breathe through the nose. The nose is not just a channel through which air passes; it also performs the following functions:

• Filters the air
• Humidifies it
• Warms it
• Increases breathing efficiency

For this reason, long-term mouth breathing in childhood should not be considered normal.

Is There a Relationship Between a Narrow Upper Jaw and Mouth Breathing?

The upper jaw also forms the floor of the nasal cavity. For this reason, there is a close relationship between the development of the upper jaw and the airway. In some children, the following can be seen together:

• A narrow upper jaw
• A high palate
• Crossbite
• Nasal obstruction
• Adenoid problems

This can contribute to the development of a mouth-breathing habit in some children.

Can Mouth Breathing Affect Facial Development?

During the growth period, the facial bones develop under environmental and functional influences. In some children with long-term mouth breathing, the following may be seen more often:

• A narrow upper jaw
• A high palate
• A long face appearance
• A retruded lower jaw
• Lip closure problems

In the literature, this appearance is sometimes described as the "long face pattern". This picture does not develop in every child who breathes through the mouth. However, it is accepted that the way of breathing is one of the factors that can affect facial development.

Sleep Quality and Concentration

Quality sleep is of great importance in children’s growth and learning processes. In some children, mouth breathing can be seen together with:

• Snoring
• Restless sleep
• Frequent waking
• Morning fatigue

Impaired sleep quality can, in some children, be related to:

• Reduced attention span
• Difficulty concentrating
• A decline in learning performance
• Behavioural problems

For this reason, in children who have problems with school success, not only educational but also functional and medical evaluations are important.

Mouth Breathing and Posture

Some children who cannot breathe comfortably through the nose may change their head position to open the airway. In particular, the following can develop:

• Forward head posture
• Increased load on the neck muscles
• Rounded (forward) shoulders
• Postural adaptations

Over time, these changes can affect the way the musculoskeletal system works.

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Oğuz Öztoprak’s Approach

In our clinic, children with mouth breathing are not evaluated only in terms of tooth alignment. At the same time, the following are examined as a whole:

• The way of breathing
• Airway structure
• Upper jaw development
• Jaw joint functions
• Sleep symptoms
• Posture
• The facial growth pattern

The aim is not only to correct the teeth, but to understand the child’s growth and development process from a functional perspective.

Conclusion

Mouth breathing is not just a breathing habit. In some children it can be part of a broader functional picture related to facial development, jaw development, sleep quality, attention processes and posture.

For this reason, mouth breathing should not be overlooked in children in the growth period, and should be evaluated in a multidisciplinary way when necessary.

Because sometimes the issue is not only that the child breathes through the mouth, but its effects on the growth and development process.

If you are also curious about the relationship between a narrow upper jaw and jaw development in children, you can read our article "What Is a Narrow Upper Jaw? Its Relationship With Sports Performance, Breathing and Jaw Development in Children"

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is mouth breathing important in children?

Mouth breathing is not just a breathing habit. In some children it can be part of a broader functional picture related to facial development, jaw development, sleep quality, attention processes and posture.

Does mouth breathing affect facial development?

During growth, the facial bones develop under environmental and functional influences. In some children with long-term mouth breathing, a narrow upper jaw, a high palate, a long face appearance (long face pattern), a retruded lower jaw and lip closure problems may be seen more often. However, this picture does not develop in every child.

Does mouth breathing affect attention and school performance?

Mouth breathing can be seen together with snoring, restless sleep, frequent waking and morning fatigue. Impaired sleep quality can be related, in some children, to reduced attention span, difficulty concentrating, a decline in learning performance and behavioural problems.

Is there a relationship between a narrow upper jaw and mouth breathing?

The upper jaw also forms the floor of the nasal cavity, so there is a close relationship between upper jaw development and the airway. A narrow upper jaw, a high palate, crossbite, nasal obstruction and adenoid problems can contribute to a mouth-breathing habit.

Does mouth breathing affect posture?

Some children who cannot breathe comfortably through the nose may change their head position to open the airway; forward head posture, increased load on the neck muscles, rounded shoulders and postural adaptations can develop.

My child breathes through the mouth — how is it evaluated?

The focus is not only on tooth alignment; the way of breathing, airway structure, upper jaw development, jaw joint functions, sleep symptoms, posture and the facial growth pattern are examined as a whole, with multidisciplinary evaluation when needed.