How To

17 Tips on How to Stop Mouth Breathing in Toddlers and Adults

Many people often think that breathing through the nose or the mouth is the same. They both fine. However, most of us do not know that breathing through the mouth indicates a serious health problem that needs treating soon and properly. Mouth breathing is related to some obstruction in the nasal airway.

Breathing through your mouth may reduce the oxygen concentration in the blood. As a result, mouth breathing may increase the risk of developing medical conditions such as heart problems and high blood pressure. Furthermore, mouth breathing during your sleep may cause disturbed sleep, leading to lower productivity and fatigue. If infants or toddlers suffer from mouth breathing, they may get abnormalities, especially during formative years. Mouth breathing in infants and toddlers also lead to abnormal facial and dental development such as long structure, narrow, crooked teeth, or gummy smiles.

Mouth breathing is also caused by enlarged tonsils, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps, enlarged adenoids and a deviated nasal septum. In some common cases, you can deal with mouth breathing by cleaning the nasal obstruction. However, some people may not stop mouth breathing even after clearing their nasal passages. This is because they are accustomed to it. In this case, therapeutic exercise can help.

In this article on AllRemedies.com, I would like to introduce to you natural tips and techniques on how to stop mouth breathing in toddlers and adults. You should read this article to know more.

Natural Tips And Techniques On How To Stop Mouth Breathing In Toddlers And Adults

1. Solve Structural Obstructions

Mouth breathing is caused by the structural obstructions in airway passages. Therefore, it is logical to treat mouth breathing by dealing with structural obstructions. It is one of the amazing tips on how to stop mouth breathing I would like to introduce to you in this article. Particularly, if your mouth breathing is caused by the swollen tonsils, nasal polyps, or adenoids, you can use surgery to remove it. If the structure of your mouth or your face is too narrow, it is recommended using expansion appliance to increase the width of the nasal passages and sinuses.

2. Avoid Allergens

Allergic rhinitis is a common culprit of mouth breathing. Allergic rhinitis happens when you are exposed to animal dander, pollen, or dust. Therefore, one of the amazing tips on how to stop mouth breathing is avoiding allergens.

Here are measures you can try:

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  • Stay indoors and always close your windows during the windy, hot and dry days. This is because, during these days, the pollen levels remain higher. Moreover, using an air conditioner is recommended if you want to look for the useful tip on how to stop mouth breathing.
  • Mold that presents on carpets, wallpaper, books, fabrics, etc., also lead to mouth breathing in toddlers and adults during their sleep. Therefore, as one of the natural tips on how to stop mouth breathing, you should use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to remove mold. Furthermore, you should reduce moisture levels in areas such as bathrooms by using exhaust fans.
  • Dust from fabric and carpets increases the risk of mouth breathing. However, it is difficult for you to remove all the dust in your home. Therefore, it is recommended using wooden, leather, or vinyl furniture and avoiding upholstered furniture. Furthermore, you can also cover your bedding and pillows with mite proof. It is better to wash your bedding and pillows weekly in water that has the temperature of 54.4°C to 60°C.
3. Deal With Stuffy Nose

Do you know the trigger of mouth breathing? Yes, it may be the stuffy nose. It is important for you to identify the hidden causes of a stuffy nose. If your stuffy nose is caused by allergies, you should avoid allergies and prevent allergies from growing in your home as possible as you can. If a common cold results in the stuffy nose and mouth breathing, you should take medicines or try amazing home remedies for a common cold. In most cases, the common cold may be treated completely after a few days. If a common cold lasts more than a few days does not have any significant improvement, you should meet your doctor.

Read more: 43 Best Natural Home Remedies for Nasal Congestion in Adults 

4. Learn How To Breathe Normally With Mouth Closed

The brain has the powerful ability. It can deal with mouth breathing. One of the effective tips and techniques on how to stop mouth breathing. If one day, you know that you have a habit of breathing through the mouth, you should try your best to change it. You can do it by using notes or setting a reminder on your phone.

It is important for you to try to breathe through your nose consistently. It is recommended keeping your mouth closed during your breathe and keep it in a good posture.

Head-forward kind of position may result in mouth breathing in some people. If you notice that it is your cause, you should keep your head pressed back.

If you are patient, you can strain your brain to breath normally and properly through your nose. However, it does not work overnight. You should practice more and more before you notice any significant result.

5. Elevate Your Head During Your Sleep

Elevating your head during sleep is also one of the natural tips on how to stop mouth breathing. This is because a poor sleeping position may cause snoring, make your mouth open and result in mouth breathing. It is recommended keeping your head elevated during sleep. Elevating your head during sleep also help you deal with acid reflux, one of the causes of mouth breathing. It keeps acids as well as other intestinal fluids from pushing up to your throat. Furthermore, it allows maximum nasal breathing and smooth flow of air by clearing passage for air.  It also lowers the stress on your heart. You can use an adjustable mattress or a pillow to help. It is important to make sure that you are comfortable.

Read more: 27 Natural Home Remedies for Sleep Apnea in Toddlers & Adults 

6. Exercise

Exercise is one of the recommended ways on how to stop mouth breathing naturally and effectively. Exercises such as cardio and yoga can deal with any breathing problems. If you exercise regularly, you may never suffer from mouth breathing or any respiratory issues.

According to a research, overweight people are vulnerable to mouth breathing. Therefore, exercise is one of the tips on how to stop mouth breathing in adults because it helps lose weight. Furthermore, exercise is good for your general well-being.

7. Keep A Proper Sleep Position

Certain sleep positions may cause mouth breathing. For examples, sleeping on the back may worsen the mouth breathing. Sleeping on your back also gives you heavier breaths. As a result, it is difficult to make the air go through the nose. It is easy for you to breathe through the mouth.

The base of your soft plates and tongue may fall off at the back of your mouth, causing vibrating sounds and heavier breaths while your sleep. Therefore, changing your sleep position is one of the effective ways on how to stop mouth breathing I would like to introduce to you in this article.

It is recommended sleeping on your stomach or on your side. Furthermore, sleeping on your side is good for your health.

Check also: There’s A Yoga Pose For Every Health Problem

8. Mouth Taping

This method sounds awkward and ridiculous. However, I can say that mouth taping is one of the amazing solutions on how to stop mouth breathing I would like to introduce to you in this article. It helps you sleep with your mouth closed.

To sleep normally and properly without having vibrating sounds and heavy breaths, you just need to tape your mouth and keep it closed while you sleep.

To use the solution mouth taping, you should prepare some cream and surgical tape. The cream can make the mouth taping painless.

Here is the instruction:

  • Spread the cream
  • Stick a tape at the center horizontally and vertically.

This solution on how to stop mouth breathing may be uncomfortable on the first try. However, it works. You should give it a try if you want to stop mouth breathing.

9. Mouth Guards

Using mouth guards is also one of the amazing ways on how to stop mouth breathing you should know in this article. Mouth guards can force your mouth to close while you sleep.

The market today has numerous brands of mouth guards for you to choose. It is recommended buying the comfortable mouth guards. It is important for you to choose the material made mouth guards that do not harm your gum.

As effective way on how to stop mouth breathing, you can use thin strips that are effective in supporting your chin during sleep. Chin strips are effective in giving your easy nasal breathing and stopping mouth breathing. It also deals with snoring. You can use it alone or combine it with other methods on how to stop mouth breathing to get a satisfactory result.

10. Turmeric

Turmeric is the exotic spice that can add taste to numerous meals and dishes. Turmeric also has a lot of health and beauty benefits. Turmeric is well-known for its ability to removing allergies. Turmeric blocks the release of histamine, a chemical produced in our body and causing symptoms such as a runny nose and sneezing. Southeast Asian people often use turmeric as a traditional remedy for coughs and nose clogging colds. Curcumin present in turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that contribute to those beneficial benefits of turmeric. Turmeric is good for respiratory system; therefore, it can be used as an effective remedy on how to stop mouth breathing caused by respiratory problems.

Here is the instruction:

  • Put a teaspoon of turmeric powder into a glass of milk
  • Boil it for a few minutes
  • Turn the heat off
  • Drink this solution twice or thrice daily until you see the noticeable result

Read more: 40 Health Benefits of Turmeric Spice and Powder

11. Benifuuki Green Tea

Benifuuki green tea [1] is made in Japan. It is well-known for the compound O-methylated catechin [2] that contributes to numerous health and beauty benefits of Benifuuki green tea. This compound has anti-allergic properties that are effective in blocking the release of histamine. According to a study, people with itchy eyes and stuffy nose find a significant relief and comfort. It is a reason why I would like to introduce Benifuuki green tea as one of the natural home remedies on how to stop mouth breathing.

To use Benifuuki green tea as an effective remedy on how to stop mouth breathing, you should follow this instruction:

  • Let a cup of water heated to around 80 to 85o
  • Add a teaspoon of Benifuuki green tea in this cup of hot water
  • Allow it to steep for about 3 minutes
  • Drink 2 or 3 cups of Benifuuki green tea daily to get a satisfactory result

It is recommended drinking this tea one and a half months before the allergic season begins.

Read more: 27 Health and Beauty Benefits of Drinking Green Tea 

12. Consume Yogurt

Yogurt [3] is a good food for your health. A cup of yogurt can keep a doctor away. Consuming yogurt on a regular basis can help remove pollen allergies and treat colds. Yogurt is also effective in reducing the severity and duration of respiratory tract infections that result in blocked nose and mouth breathing. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria (probiotics) that contribute to many health-promoting effects. Yogurt is considered as one of the amazing home remedies on how to stop mouth breathing in toddlers and adults you should know.

All thing you need to do is eating a cup of yogurt daily.

13. The Buteyko Breathing Method

Dr. Konstantin Buteyko developed the Buteyko method [4] that includes breathing exercises to open the nasal airways and help you breathe easily. Particularly, the breath-holding exercises in the Buteyko breathing method are effective in unblocking your nose and giving you normal breathes. Therefore, if you want to find the best ways on how to stop mouth breathing, you should not ignore the Buteyko breathing method.

Here is the instruction:

  • Breathe in and breathe out gently through your nose
  • Pinch the nose for breath restriction and then walk for a few minutes
  • Breathe through your nose again
  • Calm the breath

This exercise needs to be repeated 5 or 6 times a day. Each exercise cycle should last about a minute. Doing this treatment on a regular basis can give you a significant relief.

14. Opt For Myofunctional Therapy

Myofunctional therapy [5] is one of the natural tips on how to stop mouth breathing you should not ignore. Myofunctional therapy is effective in repatterning your oral and facial muscles. Myofunctional therapy helps to ensure proper breathing, chewing, tongue positioning and positioning of the head and neck. To get a satisfactory result, you should practice myofunctional therapy regularly.

15. The Scarf Or Hat

If your children are suffering from mouth breathing, using the scarf or hat properly is one of the tips on how to stop mouth breathing. It is recommended cutting almost all of the material from their hat to make sure that the kids do not feel too warm at night. Furthermore, when your children wear a hat to bed, you should tighten the strap under their chin to prevent their lower jaw from dropping down. You can also let your children wear a scarf around their head under the chin. These tips on how to stop mouth breathing in toddlers and infants give your children the proper breathe and minimize the discomfort while they sleep.

16. Reduce Anxiety And Stress

Anxiety and stress are the common causes of mouth breathing. Therefore, one of the amazing tips on how to stop mouth breathing in adults is to reduce anxiety and stress. After a hard working day, you may breathe through your mouth and have heavy breaths because of tiredness. A document carried out in University Hospital Southampton showed that people with anxiety find it difficult to breathe through their nose. In some serious cases, mouth breathing and breathing difficulties may lead to bad consequences and health problems. You should keep your mind calm and relax as possible as you can.

Read more: 23 Natural Home Remedies for Anxiety Attacks 

17. Getting A Balanced Diet

A balanced diet plays the important role in improving your health and dealing with many issues. Getting a balanced diet is also one of the amazing tips on how to stop mouth breathing I would like to introduce to you in this article. Do you know that obesity and overweight results in mouth breathing and other breathing difficulties in adults? A balanced diet can help you lose weight and prevent obesity. You should keep your weight stable to breathe properly and easily while you sleep.

These are 17 natural tips and techniques on how to stop mouth breathing we would like to introduce to you in this article. If you have tried many methods without seeing any significant changes, you should make an appointment with a doctor. Anyway, we hope that you can find this article useful and informative. If you have any questions to ask us about the content of this article, you should feel free to leave your comments below the post. We will answer as soon as we can. Thank you for reading.

All Remedies

I'm Huyen My - I believe that majority of diseases can be cured with natural home remedies. My goal with All Remedies is to help you cure your diseases with 100% natural ingredients and herbs in the comfort of your home

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