Many of us do not pay attention to whether we use our nose or mouth when we breathe. Many factors we encounter from the time we take our first breath after being taken out of the womb to crying during birth determine our breathing habits. Many of us may even think that we can get more oxygen by breathing through our mouth. Although mouth breathing seems to be a harmless and benign condition, nasal breathing is actually the most natural and most suitable form of breathing for our health.
Continuous mouth breathing causes health problems
Breath taken through the nose is warmed, humidified and cleaned before reaching the lungs. These purification and conditioning functions of our nose are very important for our lungs and overall health. If nasal breathing is not possible or there is a disorder that somehow prevents the function of the nose, mouth breathing performed continuously or periodically may cause some health problems.
The nose makes the cold and dry air outside suitable for the lungs. Mouth breathing, on the other hand, causes the inhaled air to reach the throat and lungs directly without changing the conditions of the atmospheric air. Commonly known as 'nose flesh'. The formations located on the sides of the nasal cavities, which we call 'conchae', have various functions in this regard. Air entering the nose passes between the turbinates. Since this transition takes a while, the air taken from the nose is heated more effectively than the air taken from the mouth. In addition, dust, pollen and bacteria in the surrounding air are filtered thanks to the thin vibrating hairs on the cells that form these structures. Here, the sticky secretions (mucus cover) hold the majority of allergens and microbes in the air and prevent them from going to the lungs.
When you watch the breathing pattern of a healthy baby, you will see that he always uses his nose; When their nose is blocked, you will see that they warn us by crying, and when it is opened, you will see them breathing through their nose again. Additionally, the abdominal area bulges outward with each breath. This breathing pattern is instinctive, unlearned, and is the most natural form of breathing. When taking a deep breath, the diaphragm muscle contracts It contributes to the expansion of the lungs and therefore the abdomen bulges outwards. This does not happen if we are breathing shallowly and inadequately. Nasal breathing also helps us take deep breaths. In mouth breathers, accessory respiratory muscles also come into play. The functioning of these muscles may cause posture disorders, especially in children.
The nose clears bacteria, dust and allergens in 15 minutes, and the lungs in 60-100 days
Under normal conditions, a person breathes 10 thousand to 20 thousand liters of air a day. We do this by breathing approximately 28 thousand times a day. Bacteria, dust and allergens that can be ingested in such air can trigger various diseases. While these particles, which cannot even be seen with the naked eye but can accumulate and cause various problems, are cleared from the nose within 15 minutes, it takes 60 to 120 days for them to be cleared from the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. This situation can be a precursor to various infections, asthma and some chronic lung diseases.
Again, moisture and fluid loss from the body is prevented by retaining the moisture in the air exhaled through the nose.
With mouth breathing, moisture is lost from the body along with carbon dioxide, leading to fluid loss. This can be observed by comparing the vapor produced by breathing through the mouth and nose on a glass or glass.
Nasal congestion may not be a symptom of the disease in all circumstances.
Some nasal congestion may occur. can be considered normal. During nasal breathing, it is common for one side to be partially blocked. While one side works less, the other side is comfortable. However, after 3-4 hours, you will notice that the blocked side is opened and this time the other side is blocked. This situation is related to the nasal cycle ?nasal cycle? What we call is an indicator of normal nose function. However, during any physical activity such as walking and running, both nostrils should open and air flow into the body can increase. When you go to bed at night, the nostril on the lower side is usually blocked and the one on the upper side is open. Additionally, during certain periods of pregnancy, water retention and edema occur in the body due to maternal hormones. In this case, nasal congestion occurs at the end of pregnancy. It will be corrected when it is completed. Nasal congestion other than these, that is, those that come in attacks or are persistent, may be symptoms of some nasal problems that may require treatment.
Tooth decay and gum problems are more common in mouth breathers.
It is known that asthma patients breathe 3-4 times more than non-patients. Thus, more allergens will reach the lungs. When nasal breathing is performed, the amount of allergen entering the lungs will decrease significantly and the patient will be less exposed to the causes that trigger the attack. It is known that patients with nasal problems may experience asthma-like symptoms due to this reason. In this case, blockages may occur due to the variability of air reaching the bronchi. We call this condition rhinobronchial syndrome.
Thanks to nasal breathing, you can breathe more deeply than mouth breathing. In this case, the amount of oxygen passing from the lungs to the blood is higher. Thus, the oxygen carried by the circulatory system distributed throughout our body increases. Therefore, thanks to the reduced workload, the heart rate slows down and its load decreases. The body's energy and endurance increases.
While mouth breathing is an irregular and unbalanced form of breathing, nasal breathing brings rhythm and order to body health. Although there are many resources on the treatment of nasal congestion, very few of them mention the importance of nasal breathing. Some people have made mouth breathing a habit without realizing it, while others practice nasal breathing, which is more appropriate. Mouth breathing has negative effects on health, and everyone must learn to breathe through their nose. The importance of nasal breathing is vital and families should explain the importance of nasal breathing to their children and teach them to breathe through the nose. For this reason, patients with persistent nasal congestion should definitely consult an ENT Specialist to investigate the cause.
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