Look up the definition of ‘mouth breather’ and it will tell you that it’s a derogatory term for a stupid person.
Flick over to the images tab in your search and it doesn’t get any better. You’ll find someone with sunken eyes, a receding jaw and various other issues.
The mouth is primarily for eating and drinking. In terms of breathing, it’s reserved as a backup system. It should only be considered a secondary breathing apparatus.
The nose is designed to be the primary breathing organ, filtering and warming air before it reaches the lungs, so mouth breathing is less optimal and should only be used when needed. For the majority of people, this means only using mouth breathing during short bursts of high intensity exercise and when our noses are blocked during times of illness.
So why does anyone breathe through their mouth?
Mouth breathing is a habit people develop when they can't breathe properly through their nose. This could be due to cold/flu symptoms, allergies, or an obstruction like polyps or a broken nose. Although it solves the immediate and essential problem of getting enough air, it’s a hard-to-break habit that can cause sleep disorders, dental problems and facial structure differences.
For children a decent round of enlarged adenoids or tonsils, or an extended blocked nose from illness, could be enough to alter their long-term breathing habits. Moving into adulthood this could be exacerbated by similar issues, as well as stress or anxiety, sleep apnoea, or poor posture at your computer, until mouth breathing becomes the new norm.
Which is why early intervention with children is key in preventing general health and dental concerns later in life. The older you get, the more you will need to retrain your breathing habits.
However, the great thing is that it’s all reversible. Even if you’re somewhere in between and find yourself breathing through your mouth whilst bunged up during the summer pollen season, whilst exercising (at any intensity), whilst sitting at your computer, or whilst you sleep, now is the time to put the work in.