Dental Health Check with Dr. Linda Niessen
Dental health topics from Dr. Linda Niessen of Baylor College of Dentistry
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 Mouth Breathers

By Dr. Linda Niessen
Monday, May 23, 2005

STORY:   MOUTH BREATHERS

Dentists are detecting a hidden health problem in some children and adults. One symptom is tooth decay. But the underlying cause may surprise you. Dr. Linda Niessen has details in today's segment of Dental Health Check.

5-year old James Cuaderes has a special relationship with his pediatric dentist. Dr. Mark Kogut diagnosed a hidden health problem: enlarged adenoids that caused James to breathe through his mouth.

"Sometimes, it's what you see. Sometimes it's what you hear. Children who are mouth breathers sometimes have a little more difficulty at a dental visit, because their mouth is their airway. There are a lot of problems that are related to mouth breathing," said Dr. Kogut.

The signs are an open mouth while sleeping; sleep problems, snoring; allergies, ear infections or strep throat; chewing with your mouth open; and dental decay due to a dry mouth. "Plaque that gets on their teeth tends to dry up and stick," Dr. Kogut said.

The diagnosis was a surprise to Linda Cuaderes, James' mother. "He did have a lot of cavities and I didn't know what to attribute that to," she said.

Large adenoids or tonsils can cause children to breathe through their mouth. Removing James' adenoids solved his problem. Specialist Dr. Michael Biavati said, "Adenoids are tonsil tissue at the back of the nose. And they can be a cause of chronic nasal obstruction and also recurrent infections as well as recurrent ear infections."

An Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist, Dr. Biavati says the effects of mouth breathing can be serious. "And also it can be disruptive to your sleep at night," Dr. Biavati added. James sleeps through the night now that his adenoids have been removed. And his dentist no longer detects any new cavities.

If your child shows signs of constant mouth breathing, see your dentist for a check-up. There could be hidden decay. For Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas Health Science Center, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News.

Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and  the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.

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