5 Situations in Which to Apply Open Mouth Breathing

What is open mouth breathing? Also called mouth breathing habit, it is breathing through the mouth instead of the nose. It brings with itself the risk of inhaling dust particles which would otherwise be filtered by the nostrils. But it has its own set of perks. The best areas of reaping its benefits involve high amount of labor. Imagine running for a long distance or taking a lot of physical stress. The root lies in the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide being inhaled and exhaled. 

In normal cases, open mouth breathing is about a conscious effort.  This kind of breathing generally happens due to blocked nasal passage, which is caused either due to enlarged tonsils, obstruction sleep apnea, dimensions of the jaws, shape and size of the nose, and so on. In normal amounts, open mouth breathing is beneficial for the lungs. The blood can maintain a proper pH with open mouth breathing. It not just makes sure of proper oxygen levels, but also that carbon dioxide levels do not get too high or too low. Such imbalances may cause the person to faint or simply cause dizziness. You can also learn more about clearing your lungs by trying deep breathing exercises.

Overall, the advantages of open mouth breathing can be compiled as following:

1.  When the body needs more Oxygen:

Due to breathing problems, or extremely tiring work, the body can fall short of oxygen and requires immediate supply of air. Open mouth breathing is the easiest and the most basic way of getting this done. It helps to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the body by providing more oxygen in more time.

2.  When the body has excess Carbon Dioxide:

As explained in the previous point, it is not just the lack of oxygen, but also the above normal level of carbon dioxide that requires open mouth breathing. An increase in carbon dioxide level automatically sends signals to the brain to initiate open mouth breathing. This is why during exercise one tends to open their mouth and breathe through it. 

3.  Preparing Time:

Open mouth breathing prepares the body for an emergency, one that involves adrenaline rush. Since an emergency would mean a rush of energy, more oxygen is required, and air circulation needs to be faster. Open mouth ensures all these, while preparing the body for the emergency. 

4.  Speed up the body:

With open mouth breathing, one can run faster. More oxygen provides more speed. The nasal openings are not big enough to support the amount of air required to run extremely fast. But yes, this method will work only for a few hundred meters, if the distance is too long, the person will get tired out after some time.

5.  Easy exercise:

With less carbon dioxide in blood, energy reaches more to the muscles. This helps the muscles to function smoothly. Therefore, exercising becomes easier. Once habituated, open mouth breathing during exercise will consistently keep carbon suicide levels down and thus, the body healthier.

Open mouth breathing can be beneficial in some cases. Apparently, labor calls for open mouth breathing, and people are even asked to consciously do so. In an awakened state, open mouth breathing can actually be healthy because of all the oxygen it provides. But sleeping with open mouth or breathing open mouth during resting state can be harmful. In the developmental stage, it causes faults in teeth shape, face build and even improper growth. People who toil a lot tend to get these problems. It is accompanied by snoring and dry mouth. A conscious effort should be made to eliminate open mouth breathing during rest yet keeping it in practice during hard work. A balance can lead to better health too.