Shut your mouth and be healthy
from The Blue Mountains Gazette, Wednesday, July 19, 2000
Did you know that if you breathe through your mouth that you are exposing a tennis court sized amount of your internal tissue (your lungs) to unfiltered air? YOU ARE and you are inviting all kinds of unhealthy consequences into your life. Consequences ranging from diseased gums, mal-occlusion (ask your orthodontist-think of the expense), frequent viral infections, sinusitis, headaches, asthma, breathlessness-the list is endless.
Your nose was perfectly designed for breathing with. It is lined with ciliated membrane (hair lined) to filter the air you breathe. BUT that’s not all. Your nose also ensures that the air is warm and moist as well as clean before it reaches the lungs. The lining of the nasal passages is called a "mucus blanket"-the same type of lining which reaches right down into the lungs. It contains mucus glands and cilia, which continuously keep pushing dust, bacteria and other particles toward the throat where they are swallowed. The mucus has an antibacterial property (lysozyme) which in combination with the lymphocytes, macrophages and tonsils prevent 75% of germs from reaching the lungs.
Breathing through the mouth means great quantities of cold, dry and dusty air reach the lungs. Even when breathing very cold air such, such as when out in the snow, the air is still warm enough for the lungs before it gets half way down the throat. Air entering the nose at 6 degrees C is 30 degrees C by the time it reaches the back of the nose and body temperature by the time it enters the trachea.
Airway resistance can be increased voluntarily by breathing through the nose (as opposed to the mouth). When airway resistance is increased gas exchange in the alveoli (in the lungs) is much more efficient.
BUTEYKO BREATHING is now being widely recommended by ORTHODONTISTS who are increasingly concerned by the adverse effects of mouth breathing on the actual shape of young mouths. Not only is severe damage being done causing the need for orthodontia BUT having worked so hard to straighten teeth and bite the orthodontic profession sees the immense benefit of learning to breathe comfortably through the nose to prevent any further damage. Buteyko practitioners are pleased to be receiving clients by referral from the dental profession.
If you would like to nip the problem in the bud before expensive work needs doing on your child’s teeth or to support the brilliant work of your orthodontist Buteyko Breathing can certainly help you. Shut your mouth and ensure optimal health for yourself and you family.
Local Buteyko "Breathe Easy" practitioner Jennifer Harris is at your service on 0414 833 857.