Mouth breathing

Name of Symptom/Sign:
Mouth breathing
Classifications and external resources

ICD-10	R06.5
ICD-9	784.9

WikiDoc Resources for Mouth breathing
Articles
Most recent articles on Mouth breathing Most cited articles on Mouth breathing Review articles on Mouth breathing Articles on Mouth breathing in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
Media
Powerpoint slides on Mouth breathing Images of Mouth breathing Photos of Mouth breathing Podcasts & MP3s on Mouth breathing Videos on Mouth breathing
Evidence Based Medicine
Cochrane Collaboration on Mouth breathing Bandolier on Mouth breathing TRIP on Mouth breathing
Clinical Trials
Ongoing Trials on Mouth breathing at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Mouth breathing Clinical Trials on Mouth breathing at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Govt
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Mouth breathing NICE Guidance on Mouth breathing NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Mouth breathing CDC on Mouth breathing
Books
Books on Mouth breathing
News
Mouth breathing in the news Be alerted to news on Mouth breathing News trends on Mouth breathing
Commentary
Blogs on Mouth breathing
Definitions
Definitions of Mouth breathing
Patient Resources / Community
Patient resources on Mouth breathing Discussion groups on Mouth breathing Patient Handouts on Mouth breathing Directions to Hospitals Treating Mouth breathing Risk calculators and risk factors for Mouth breathing
Healthcare Provider Resources
Symptoms of Mouth breathing Causes & Risk Factors for Mouth breathing Diagnostic studies for Mouth breathing Treatment of Mouth breathing
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
CME Programs on Mouth breathing
International
Mouth breathing en Espanol Mouth breathing en Francais
Business
Mouth breathing in the Marketplace Patents on Mouth breathing
Experimental / Informatics
List of terms related to Mouth breathing

Mouth breathing refers to the state of inhaling and exhaling through the mouth.

A healthy individual normally breathes through the nose while resting or doing light exercise, and breathes simultaneously through both the nose and mouth during vigorous aerobic exercise, in order to supply sufficient oxygen. Excessive mouth breathing is problematic because air is not filtered and warmed as much as when inhaled through the nose, as it bypasses the nasal canal and paranasal sinuses, and dries out the mouth. Mouth breathing is often associated with congestion, obstruction, or other abnormalities of the upper respiratory tract. Mouth breathing is a diagnostic sign of adenoiditis especially with persistent rhinorrhea. Comorbidities include asthma, obesity, snoring, halitosis, and obstructive sleep apnea.

Social perception

Mouth breathing in public is sometimes considered to be less socially acceptable or attractive than nose breathing, as mouth breathers can appear to have a somewhat "slack jawed" look, and mouth breathing can cause or exacerbate bad breath. Consequently, the term "mouth breather" may be used in a pejorative sense for someone lacking in hygiene or intelligence.

Buteyko asthma treatment

Mouth breathing may have a role in exacerbating asthma. One of the principle aims of the Buteyko method for the treatment of asthma is to encourage nasal breathing, to the point of actually using paper tape to keep the lips closed.

See also

• Sleep apnea
• Snoring

External links

• Comparison with nose breathing