Five side effects of breathing through your mouth from tooth decay to bad sleep

20 January 2024 , 09:05

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A new study of 2.,000 adults has found around 13% of people typically breathe through their mouths, (Image: Getty Images)

Health experts have revealed the five common side effects of breathing through your mouth - and offered tips on how to learn to breathe through your nose.

A new study of 2.,000 adults has found around 13% of people typically breathe through their mouths, which increases to 18% when asleep. And out of those studied, one in three - or 31% - admit to often experiencing nasal congestion, compared to just 15% who breathe through their noses feeling bunged up.

And a further 38% are being kept up at night due to regular nasal congestion. GP Dr Roger Henderson teamed up with Olbas for a research study to uncover why breathing through your mouth could cause more stuffiness.

Dr Henderson said: “Breathing through your mouth can cause several health issues compared to when you breathe more healthily through your nose. Mouth breathing can cause less oxygen to be delivered to the body and one of the problems this can cause is disturbed sleep and increased daytime fatigue and tiredness.

“It also causes the mouth to dry out, which in turn increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. There may also be an increased risk of upper airway infections as well as inflammation of the tonsils and adenoids. Nasal obstruction is a common reason for mouth breathing, often caused by nasal allergies or enlarged adenoids.”

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Five side effects of breathing through your mouth from tooth decay to bad sleep

Not breathing through your nose can cause dry mouth, which in turn increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease (Getty Images)

The research also found, of those who experience regular nasal congestion, 64% are getting blocked noses - with one in three experiencing runny noses and 31% suffering sinus pressure and pain. The research, which was conducted via OnePoll, also discovered people who are breathing through their mouths are having worse sleep compared to those who do not - with 56 per cent of mouth breathers claiming their quality of sleep as good, compared to 68 per cent of those who predominantly breathe through their nose.

Dr Henderson added: “To help reduce mouth breathing and nasal congestion, use a saline spray or nasal decongestant, sleep on your back with an extra pillow to prop up your head and help promote nasal breathing. Try to keep your house as free of allergens as possible and consciously practice breathing through your nose during the day to help train yourself into a habit of nasal breathing.”

Backing up the results of the survey, Claire Campbell from Olbas said: "It’s clear that breathing through your mouth is causing Brits more issues when it comes to nasal congestion. This in turn is having a detrimental impact on their day-to-day life as they struggle with health conditions. This is why we developed our range with a mixture of plant oils, to help unblock stuffy and congested noses.”