The Dangers of Sleeping with an Open Mouth
Disease description:
My wife says that I always like to sleep with my mouth open, and she is worried about my health. I would like to ask, what are the risks or harms associated with sleeping with one's mouth open?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lv Zhiqin
The hazards of sleeping with an open mouth cannot be ignored, mainly including the following points:
1. Impact on sleep quality: Sleeping with an open mouth may cause breathing difficulties, leading to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain and heart, thus affecting sleep quality. Long-term effects may also harm overall health.
2. Impact on facial and dental development: For children, long-term mouth breathing during sleep may lead to jawbone developmental deformities, causing protruding teeth, receding chin, crooked teeth, and other issues. It may also affect the development of facial bones, leading to changes in facial appearance.
3. Increased risk of infections: Microorganisms such as dust, bacteria, and viruses in the air may directly enter the oral cavity and respiratory tract through the open mouth, increasing the risk of infections.
4. Induction of oral and throat diseases: Sleeping with an open mouth can dry out the oral and throat mucous membranes, potentially leading to chronic pharyngitis and other oral and throat diseases over time.
5. Other hazards: Sleeping with an open mouth may also affect the metabolic state and, in some cases, is associated with serious conditions such as sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome, which may lead to severe consequences such as sudden death during sleep.
Maintaining good lifestyle habits, such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding excessive fatigue, and keeping indoor air humidified, can also help reduce the occurrence of sleeping with an open mouth.
