Indy Standard

• Mouth breathing can lead to dental issues, including gingivitis and cavity development.
• As many as 60% of adults breathe through their mouth.
• Procedures such as a balloon sinuplasty or endoscopy can help a patient to breathe better through their nose.

Dr. Nicholas Hollenkamp of Indianapolis Sinus Center says mouth breathing caused by sinusitis can lead to oral health issues, so it's important to seek treatment to improve the airflow to your nose. 

"If you're not breathing well through your nose and you are mouth-breathing, that changes the dynamics of oral health," he told Indy Standard. "If you're having a lot of bad drainage down the back of your throat, that can certainly affect your oral health. Then there's a lot of crossover innervation, and also the maxillary sinus infection is basically sitting right on top of your dental groups, so there's crossover there, too."

According to Healthline, mouth breathing can dry out your mouth and create the perfect environment for gingivitis and cavity development, which can lead to more problems down the road.

People who suffer from allergies or chronic sinusitis are more likely to breathe through their mouths, but mouth breathing can cause oral health issues, according to McCarl Dental Group. Mouth breathing dries up saliva, which allows bacteria and plaque to build up on teeth, causing cavities, gum disease and chronic bad breath. Regularly breathing through the mouth can lead to strained jaw joints, snoring, sleep apnea, enlarged tonsils and a higher risk for airway disorders, such as asthma.

Although people should breathe through their noses most of the time, as many as 60% of adults breathe through their mouths, KTM Yoga reported. Hair and mucus in the nose filter out bacteria and dust. Nasal breathing increases oxygen intake, boosts brain activity and helps to slow airflow, which widens blood vessels and slows the heart rate, leading to a feeling of calm.

There are several treatment options, such as endoscopy and balloon sinuplasty, according to WebMD. Endoscopy is a common procedure in which doctors insert thin, flexible instruments called endoscopes into the nose. One has a small camera that sends images back to a screen, allowing the doctor to see where sinus blockages are and guide the other instruments to gently remove polyps, scar tissue and other blockages. Doctors won’t cut into the skin, so recovery should be relatively short. Endoscopy is normally done with a local anesthetic, meaning the area will be numb and the patient remains awake. 

Another treatment is balloon sinuplasty, which helps those who don't need anything removed from the sinuses. A doctor puts a thin tube into the nose with a small balloon attached to one end. The doctor guides the balloon to the blocked area in the sinuses and inflates it, which helps clear the passageway so sinuses can drain properly, alleviating congestion.

For more information on the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.