Mouth Breathing in children and adults carry serious consequences for the individual’s health.
Gingivitis, gingival enlargement and increased levels of dental plaque are common in persons who chronically breathe through their mouth. It has been suggested that chronic mouth breathing in children can lead to the development of a long, thin face as well as malocclusion of the teeth (e.g. “crowded teeth”).
How can you remind your child to keep his/her mouth closed without nagging them?
Ask them who their favourite cartoon character, movie character or suprt hero is.
Agree with your child that every time he/she has their mouth open, you will mention the name of their favourite character and this will mean “lips together please”.
How can you remind yourself to keep your lips together?
Place a post-it by the area you spend a majority of your time, e.g. computer, TV, kitchen. Every time you see the post-it, it will be a reminder for you to keep your lips together. You can also try this with older children.