South Louisiana 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. Adil Fatakia of ENT & Allergy of New Orleans, mouth breathing can affect someone’s sleep.  

“When we breathe through our mouth, a couple of things happen including snoring,” Dr. Fatakia told the South Louisiana News. “But we're also at increased risk of having fragmented or interrupted sleep called apneic episodes. A lot of people have heard of sleep apnea. Chronic sinusitis can absolutely help contribute to sleep apnea.”

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 ENT and Allergy of New Orleans' website, Dr. Adil Fatakia received his Bachelor of Science degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He later earned his medical degree at the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Fatakia completed a five-year residency program in head and neck surgery at Tulane University, followed by a fellowship in sinus and skull base surgery at the Sinus and Nasal Institute of Florida in St. Petersburg.