Mouth Breathing

 

If you know Dr. Tommy Spears, you probably know him as a prominent local dentist. If you have been around here a long time, you might remember him as a standout athlete at Maryville High School.

I first got to know Dr. Spears because of a mutual love of basketball. Well into what most people consider old age, we were both playing pickup basketball games on a regular basis. He and I played in a game at MHS on Sunday evening for years.

Being quite a bit older than him and not growing up here, I didn’t know what an athlete he had been growing up. I just knew that he could hoop in his 30’s and 40’s. Our friendship grew over the years and I now consider him a close friend.

One thing that not enough people know about Dr. Spears is that he has become a noted expert on the impact of mouth breathing on childhood development.

Through the years, he and I have had numerous conversations about this, particularly as it relates to TMJ problems. He led an interprofessional group studying oral health and mouth breathing that I was part of.

Along the way, Dr. Spears became passionate about the possibilities of helping people from birth through old age, not just with their dental care, but with the complete spectrum of oral health.

Let’s go back to that part about mouth breathing for a bit. Oral habits start at birth. Most new mothers understand that suckling is important for infant development. Breast feeding is best but not everyone can do that and not everyone chooses that and that’s OK.

Bottles from way back had nipples that were not anatomically correct in any way. More modern nipples are better. Those oral behaviors are important for the development of the nasal passages and palate.

We also know that allergies are a lot bigger problem than they were not that many years ago.  That means that young children develop chronic rhinitis, stopping up the nasal passages and promoting breathing through the mouth instead of the nose.

There are some structural parts of the mouth, chiefly under the tongue and the upper lip, that inhibit proper development of the mouth. All that leads to mouth breathing, which leads to a whole host of physical and developmental problems.

This is where Dr. Spears comes in. As an extension of his dental practice, he established Tennessee Orofacial Myology, whose purpose is to address those issues. Tennessee Orofacial Myology provides a wide range of services, including education, exercise, appliances, and, when needed, minor surgical interventions.

The program is designed to reduce the incidence, severity, and consequences of mouth breathing.  The ultimate goal is to produce healthier adults. And the results with early intervention are amazing.

Not just oral health is impacted. Proper growth and development of the palate, nasal passages, and face are promoted. Posture, neck, and TMJ problems are hugely impacted. The incidence and severity of sleep apnea are reduced.

Think about this—a child that is a nasal breather makes better grades and is overall healthier. An adult that has remained a nasal breather will be healthier, happier, and more successful.  I know, it sounds like a stretch, but it’s true. And medical evidence backs it up.

And it all starts at birth. Questions? Talk to your pediatrician or dentist.  There is too much that can be done for this to be ignored.