Healthy teeth and health through better breathing

Healthy teeth, normal facial development and better health through better breathing, will be the focus that The Breath Connection and The Clinic for Facial Orthotropics based in Purley, London, will be working together to promote.

All children who are habitual mouth-breathers will have a malocclusion. The mouth breathers’ maxillae and mandibles are foreshortened. Palatal height is higher, overbite is greater in mouth breathers. Overall, mouth breathers have longer faces, with narrower maxillae and foreshortened jaws.

The tongue plays a large part in influencing cranial and maxillary growth. When a child is new born the forward thrusting of the tongue to express milk from the mothers breast is the force that drives the horizontal or forward growth of the maxillae. The tongue is ideally in contact with the roof of the mouth at rest and during the sub-conscious swallow. In this position, the tongue exerts a lateral force, which counterbalances the inward force exerted by the buccinator muscles. This is what maintains the integrity of the developing maxilla. The moment the child is a mouth breather, and the tongue drops to the floor of the mouth, the buccinators continue to push inwards and cause the upper arch to collapse. In the chronic mouth breathing child the tongue falls from the roof of the mouth and no longer provides support for the upper arch.

Breathing through the mouth causes or contributes to the following dental problems: dental decay, gum disease, malocclusion (teeth not fitting together properly when the mouth is shut), anterior open bite (prominent top teeth), reduced dental arch space (narrow roof of the mouth) greater potential for relapse of orthodontic correction, TMJ dysfunction (where the jaw bone hinges onto the cheek bone).

When the mouth is closed the tongue is normally pressed lightly upwards onto the palate, this constant small pressure ensures the correct development of the upper jaw. If however the mouth is kept open for breathing, the tongue falls to the floor of the mouth and the palate may develop with a high arch and reduced space for the upper teeth. If this kind of breathing is habitual, the face becomes more narrow or elongated compared with that of nose breathing siblings. (Champagne 1991, Rubin 1980)

The Breath Connection does not treat any condition specifically but teaches clients how to correct the dysfunctional breathing that is invariably associated with most health problems. By normalising the person’s breathing the body is better able to function, most symptoms are reduced, energy is increased, there are usually improvements in: immune system, body oxygenation, circulation, digestion, sleep, concentration and frequently less medication is needed for their condition.

Orthodontic Dental Problems Gum Disease
Sports Performance Physical Exercise Improvement
Asthma Sinusitis Hay fever Rhinitis
Stress Anxiety & Panic Attacks
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / ME
Circulation Angina Hypertension Arrhythmias
Insomnia Snoring & Sleep Apnoea

words: Michael Lingard BSc DO BBEC
For further information please visit: www.thebreathconnection.com & www.orthotropics.co.uk