This happens to your body when you sleep with your mouth open

I wrote in lifestyle the 7/1/2023 6:43 PM

Getting enough sleep is one of the main conditions for restoring energy and making the body function properly. But sleep with your mouth open It can harm our comfort and harm our health. This is what happens to your body when you sleep with your mouth open.

Specialists advise that you should sleep between 7 and 8 hours a day, but some people tend to wake up in the middle of the night because they breathe with their mouths, which spoils their rest.

What happens to my body when I sleep with my mouth open?

According to Dr. Ines Gallofri Bofill, sleep physician in the Clinica Girona sleep unit and a member of Best Doctors, Sleeping with your mouth open can lead to tooth decay, bad breath, and bacteria buildup Because the air we breathe does not pass through the nasal mucosa, which acts as a filter and prevents particles from entering the body.

“If this barrier were not present, pharyngitis, dry mouth and runny nose would be more frequent. Sleeping with your mouth open also makes us more susceptible to tooth decay, because the pH of the oral cavity varies and favors the colonization of microorganisms,” he noted.

In addition, breathing with your mouth open can cause dryness and inflammation in the mouth and throat, which can lead to Oral diseases such as candidiasis or gum disease, which in turn can increase the risk of heart attack and the development of heart disease.

This practice may also be related to sleep apnea which can place an undue burden on the heart.

Even sleeping with the mouth open in babies can alter facial development and lead to facial changes such as elongation of the face, dark circles under the eyes, recessed, retracted or retracted chin, drooping or hooked nose, narrow nostrils, narrow palate, crooked teeth and a weak neck And the general attitude.

Most importantly, sleeping with your mouth open prevents you from getting restful sleep and prevents your brain from oxygenating properly, causing you to be tired, irritable, and exhausted. At the same time, it can cause digestive problems, chronic fatigue, headaches upon waking, and sore throat.

What should I do so as not to sleep with my mouth open?

According to Galofré Bofill, sleeping with the mouth open can indicate that nasal breathing is not good or sufficient, which could be caused by They have a deviated septum, thickened coccyx, polyps, allergic rhinitis, secondary nasal obstruction due to infectious processes, open bite, narrow palate and retracted jaw.

Among the most common remedies to avoid sleeping with your mouth open are: using nasal strips that widen the nostrils, sleeping with hypoallergenic bedding, using humidifiers in the room, and performing nasal breathing exercisesReduce stress, sleep on your side, and use larger pillows to keep your head elevated and your mouth closed.

In the event that none of this works, it is best to see a specialist, as it may be an issue that requires medication or surgery.