Why does the baby sleep with his mouth open? How to correct the baby sleeping with his mouth open?

It's cute for babies to sleep with their mouths open, but there are hidden dangers. So how can mothers help babies correct this bad habit? Don't worry, the editor of No. 5.com will give you some tips~

If your baby opens his mouth to breathe during sleep, it will reduce the quality of sleep and may be a sign of breathing problems or other diseases. Therefore, mothers should never ignore it!

The disadvantages of babies breathing with their mouths open while sleeping

1. Mouth breathing is unhygienic

The nose is the first line of defense of the respiratory system. The air that the nasal cavity can filter contains a large number of bacteria, germs, and dust. Breathing through the mouth is extremely unhygienic and increases the chance of infection with viruses and bacteria. So if you find that your baby is breathing with his mouth wide open, please pay attention to the air quality in the bedroom.

2. Mouth breathing can easily lead to tooth deformity

Sleeping with the mouth open for a long time will cause the upper and lower jaws of the baby to develop poorly and become deformed, resulting in uneven teeth. In severe cases, it will cause malocclusion, making it even more difficult for the child to close his mouth, affecting the child's pronunciation and appearance.

Why does my baby sleep with his mouth open?

Normally, babies don't breathe through their mouths except when they are crying. So if they always open their mouths to breathe during sleep, it may be due to the following reasons:

The nose is blocked

The baby's nostrils are originally small and tight. If mucus is retained or even solidified due to crying or not being cleaned for a long time, it will cause nasal breathing problems and the baby will have to breathe through the mouth.

Treatment: Since the baby cannot squeeze the nose yet, the mother has to help the baby to squeeze out the mucus. You can first use baby saline spray to soften the baby's nasal mucus, and then use a nasal aspirator to help the baby suck out the mucus. It is recommended not to use cotton swabs to clean, because the mother is afraid that she will not be able to control the strength and is not clear about the position, and will accidentally hurt the baby's nasal cavity or nasal mucosa.

Allergies or colds

One reason is that babies feel uncomfortable after inhaling dust, fungi, or even perfume or smoke in the home, thus causing nasal sensitivity.

Second, the baby has a cold and a certain amount of mucus has formed in the nasal cavity.

Treatment methods: 1. Keep the home environment clean and the air fresh. 2. For a mild cold, you don't need to see a doctor. Give your baby some children's syrup and refer to the previous method to clean up the snot. You can let your baby do some small exercises from time to time to enhance his immunity. In addition, if the baby has a runny nose for more than 2 weeks, you must see a doctor to avoid aggravating the condition.

Too large tongue

Although this situation is relatively rare, it still exists. The baby's tongue is too large, so when lying flat, the tongue will block the throat. How do you know if the baby's tongue is too large? See if the baby's tongue can be stretched out. If the tip of the tongue is pointed, it is not a big tongue. If it never or rarely sticks out, a large part of the reason is that the tip of the tongue is too large to stick out.

Solution: Take your baby to the hospital to consult a dentist to find a solution.

Being overweight

Babies who are overweight tend to have short and thick necks, so there will be more fat in the throat, which narrows the airway. That is why they need to breathe through their mouths, and they may also suffer from sleep apnea syndrome during deep sleep.

Treatment: Lose weight. Pay attention to the proper nutrition of the baby, whether the baby eats too much, and let the baby exercise more. After losing weight, the symptoms of mouth breathing should heal on their own. Obesity causes enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which causes the baby to breathe with mouth and snore during sleep. This requires professional medical equipment to diagnose and treat. Parents should take the baby to the hospital for examination as soon as possible.

Deviated nasal septum

Nasal septum deviation refers to the nasal septum deviating from the midline and bending to one or both sides or forming a partial protrusion, which causes nasal dysfunction or symptoms of breathing difficulties, such as alternating or persistent nasal congestion.

Treatment: In fact, few people have straight nasal septums, and if there is no functional disorder, no diagnosis is required. However, if the baby likes to sleep with his mouth open for this reason, he should go to the hospital to check the oral cavity and facial features in time to find out the cause and treat it early.

How to correct a baby sleeping with his mouth open

If a mother finds that her baby sleeps with his mouth open, she should first observe the baby's mental and physical condition during the day. If she finds signs of rhinitis, tonsillitis, etc., she should go to the hospital for treatment immediately. Of course, if the baby develops the bad habit of sleeping with his mouth open, the mother should correct it in time through the following methods:

1. Let your baby wear a special mask when sleeping

Special veil masks are very effective for babies who have developed the habit of breathing through their mouths. Let your baby wear it when sleeping at night, and make sure to leave the nostrils outside, which can guide your baby to breathe through the nasal cavity. This veil mask must be soft and breathable. It is recommended to buy genuine products at regular pharmacies or hospitals.

2. Strengthen the training of upper and lower lips and cheek muscles

Upper and lower lip and cheek muscle training can help babies improve abnormal bite conditions. Mothers can clamp a piece of cardboard between the baby's upper and lower lips and quickly pull it out, repeating this three times a day. Be careful to make sure the cardboard is clean and smooth to avoid hurting the baby's delicate oral skin.

3. Train your baby to keep his mouth shut and blow air frequently

Blowing air with closed mouth can also train the baby's oral cavity and surrounding muscle groups. For babies under 3 years old, it is recommended that mothers demonstrate and guide them to learn to blow air with closed mouth. For babies over 3 years old, you may teach them to whistle, chew gum and blow bubbles, etc. to exercise their cheek muscles.

4. Encourage your baby to breathe through his nose with his mouth closed

Generally speaking, babies can do more outdoor sports after they are 4 years old. At this time, mothers can encourage their babies to breathe through their noses with their mouths closed while doing exercises or jogging, and develop a habit to completely change the "bad habit" of breathing through their mouths.