How to Stop Mouth Breathing: Tips from an ENT Doctor

Mouth breathing is common—but it’s not how your body is meant to function. Your nose plays an important role in filtering air, supporting lung health, and even helping you sleep better.

You might not notice it at first. Maybe you wake up with a dry mouth, or someone tells you that you snore. You feel tired even after a full night’s sleep. For a lot of people, these little clues point to one thing: mouth breathing.

I see this often in my ENT practice, and the good news is, you can do something about it. In this blog, I’ll share simple, science-backed ways to stop mouth breathing and breathe better through your nose. Whether it started from allergies, stress, or just habit, we’ll break it down together.

How to Stop Mouth Breathing? Science-Backed Tips and Treatments

Stopping mouth breathing is about finding the cause and using the right tools and habits to retrain your body. As an ENT, I help patients do this every day, and with the right support, you can too.

1. Treat the Root Cause

Mouth breathing often starts when your nose isn’t doing its job well. If it feels blocked, you’ll naturally switch to breathing through your mouth. That’s why it’s so important to figure out what’s causing the problem.

Here are a few root causes that might cause your mouth breathing:

• Nasal obstruction: Issues like a deviated septum, nasal polyps, or chronic inflammation can make it hard to breathe through your nose.

• Allergies: Seasonal or year-round allergies can block airflow and lead to mouth breathing.

• Sinus infections: These can cause swelling and make nasal breathing uncomfortable.

  
  

The fix might be as simple as using a daily saline rinse or allergy medication. But in some cases, you might need a minor procedure to open up your nasal passages. An ENT doctor, like Dr. David Opperman, can guide you.

2. Practice Nasal Breathing Exercises

If your nose is clear but you're still breathing through your mouth, it might just be habit. Breathing exercises can help you re-train your muscles and your brain to favor nose breathing.

Try these breathing exercises:

1. Buteyko breathing

Developed by Ukrainian doctor Konstantin Buteyko in the 1950s, this method focuses on nasal breathing with your mouth closed. It teaches you how to breathe gently and calmly through your nose. Learn more about how to practice it here.

2. Alternate nostril breathing

As the name suggests, this practice involves closing one nostril with your finger while breathing through the other, then switching sides. It helps you slow down and stay present, making it a calming and meditative technique. Find out how to try it here.

3. Use Anti Mouth Breathing Devices and Myofunctional Therapy

Sometimes, your body just needs a little help. There are tools and therapies designed specifically to stop mouth breathing while you sleep or go about your day.

• Chin straps: These gently keep your mouth closed during sleep.

• Nasal dilators: These open up the nasal passages so breathing through your nose is easier.

• Mouth guards: Helpful if teeth grinding or jaw position is contributing to the problem.

• Myofunctional therapy: A structured program of exercises that strengthen the tongue and face muscles to support nasal breathing.

4. Stress Reduction

Stress changes the way you breathe. When you're anxious, your breathing becomes shallow and fast—and that often leads to breathing through your mouth.

To fix this:

• Practice slow, deep nose breathing when you feel tense.

• Try mindfulness, gentle movement (like yoga), or journaling to reduce your daily stress load.

• Get support if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Managing stress is a real part of managing your breathing.

Relaxing your body helps your breath slow down, and your nose takes over again.

5. Improve Sleep Posture and Environment

If you breathe through your mouth at night, your sleep setup might be part of the issue.

• Elevate your head: This helps reduce nasal swelling.

• Sleep on your side: Lying on your back can make mouth breathing worse.

• Humidify your room: Dry air can irritate your nose and mouth, making breathing harder.

• Get checked for sleep apnea: If you snore or wake up gasping, it’s time to see a sleep specialist.

6. Build Long-Term Habits

Mouth breathing often becomes a habit over time. Changing that habit means practicing small things every day.

• Stay hydrated: A dry mouth can trigger mouth breathing.

• Use nasal rinses: Keep nasal passages clean and open.

• Work on tongue posture: Your tongue should rest on the roof of your mouth. Myofunctional therapy can teach you how.

• Check in with your breath: Gently remind yourself to keep your mouth closed during the day.

Is Mouth Breathing Bad? Understanding the Science

The short answer is yes. Your body was built to breathe through your nose, not your mouth. Let’s look at why that matters.

Why Nasal Breathing Is Better?

When you breathe through your nose, your body gets several benefits that mouth breathing just can’t offer:

• Air is filtered and humidified: Tiny hairs and mucus in your nose trap dust, allergens, and germs.

• Oxygen delivery is more efficient: Nasal breathing increases nitric oxide, which helps your blood vessels carry oxygen better.

• It helps regulate temperature and moisture: Your nose warms and moistens the air before it hits your lungs.

What are the Bad Effects of Mouth Breathing?

Mouth breathing skips all those benefits and can lead to several problems, especially when it becomes a long-term habit:

• Dry mouth: This can lead to bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease.

• Poor sleep: Mouth breathing is linked to snoring and sleep apnea.

• Facial structure changes: In kids, it can lead to narrow jaws, crooked teeth, and longer faces.

• Lower oxygen levels: Mouth breathing doesn’t filter or slow the air like your nose does, so oxygen exchange isn’t as effective.

• Increased risk of illness: You lose your first line of defense against viruses and bacteria.

In my practice, I’ve seen firsthand how mouth breathing can snowball into bigger issues—poor sleep, fatigue, dental problems, even behavioral changes in kids.

Long-Term Health Impact

Chronic mouth breathing may seem small, but over time, it adds up. The constant strain on your body can affect how well you sleep, how focused you feel, and even how your face develops (especially in children).

That’s why learning how to stop mouth breathing isn’t just about comfort—it’s about long-term health and function. Your nose was made for this job, and it does it best.

What are the Common Causes of Mouth Breathing?

Understanding the causes of mouth breathing is an important step in learning how to stop it.

1. Nasal Obstruction

One of the most common reasons for mouth breathing is that your nose feels blocked. This might be caused by:

• Deviated septum: When the cartilage in your nose is off-center, it can make one or both nostrils harder to breathe through.

• Nasal polyps: These soft growths can block airflow inside the nose.

• Chronic congestion: Ongoing inflammation from sinus infections or colds can lead to mouth breathing.

2. Allergies

Allergies, whether seasonal or year-round, can inflame the nasal passages, making it tough to breathe through your nose. Common triggers include:

• Pollen

• Dust mites

• Mold

• Pet dander

Left untreated, allergy symptoms can make nasal breathing uncomfortable and increase the urge to breathe through your mouth.

3. Sleep-Related Causes

Many people who mouth breathe do it most during sleep. This is often connected to:

• Sleep apnea: A condition where breathing stops and starts during sleep.

• Poor sleep posture: Lying flat on your back may cause your mouth to fall open.

• Nasal collapse during sleep: Some people experience narrowing of the nasal airway when they lie down.

4. Habit and Muscle Patterns

Sometimes, mouth breathing starts as a habit and sticks around, even after the original cause is gone. This can happen if:

• You got used to breathing through your mouth when sick

• Your jaw or tongue doesn’t rest in the right position

• You’ve never been taught proper tongue posture

Myofunctional therapy can help retrain the muscles in your face and tongue to support nasal breathing.

5. Stress and Anxiety

When you're stressed, your breathing naturally becomes shallow and fast. That makes it more likely you'll start breathing through your mouth, especially if it's already a habit.

If you’re working to stop mouth breathing, learning how to manage stress is part of the solution. Slow, intentional nasal breathing can help calm both your mind and your body.

What are the Symptoms of Mouth Breathing?

You might not always notice that you're breathing through your mouth, especially at night. But your body usually gives you signs. Recognizing mouth breathing symptoms early can help you take action before it starts to affect your health.

Daytime Symptoms

During the day, you may notice:

• Dry mouth: If you’re constantly sipping water or feeling parched, you may be breathing through your mouth without realizing it.

• Chapped lips: This is a common result of air passing over your lips too often.

• Fatigue or brain fog: Mouth breathing can lower oxygen levels, which affects your energy and focus.

• Bad breath: Without the moisture and filtration from nasal breathing, bacteria can grow quickly in a dry mouth.

• Mouth always slightly open: You may catch yourself keeping your lips apart, even when you’re at rest.

Nighttime Symptoms

At night, symptoms can include:

• Snoring: Air moving through a dry mouth and relaxed throat can cause noisy breathing.

• Waking up with a dry throat: A big indicator that you’ve been breathing through your mouth while sleeping.

• Restless sleep: You might toss and turn or wake up feeling like you didn’t sleep at all.

• Drooling on your pillow: If your mouth falls open during sleep, it can lead to drooling.

When to See a Doctor or ENT Specialist?

Sometimes, home remedies and lifestyle changes aren’t enough to stop mouth breathing. If you’ve tried a few of the tips in this guide and you’re still breathing through your mouth, it might be time to get professional help.

Here are some signs that you should see an ENT specialist:

• You can’t breathe well through your nose even when you try to clear it

• You’ve had mouth breathing symptoms for a long time (months or even years)

• You snore loudly or wake up gasping – This could be a sign of sleep apnea

• Your child shows signs of chronic mouth breathing. This can affect how their face and teeth develop

• You’ve already tried treatments at home but haven’t seen much improvement

As an ENT, I often see patients who’ve been struggling with these symptoms for years without realizing there are better options. A proper evaluation can help find out what’s really causing the issue—whether it’s nasal structure, allergies, sleep apnea, or something else.

What an ENT Can Do?

• Examine your nose and airway to find any blockages or inflammation

• Run allergy or sleep tests if needed

• Recommend procedures like turbinate reduction or septoplasty if structural issues are the cause

• Work with other specialists (like sleep doctors or myofunctional therapists) to create a full care plan

Final Thoughts

Your nose was designed to do the job of breathing. It filters, warms, and humidifies the air you take in. It even helps your brain and body get the oxygen they need to thrive. When you switch to breathing through your nose, you give your entire system a boost.

As an ENT, I’ve seen how powerful these changes can be. With the right tools, support, and a bit of patience, you can retrain your body and start breathing the way it was meant to.

So if you’re ready to stop mouth breathing, now’s a great time to begin. Your nose is ready when you are.

FAQs

1. Can mouth breathing go away on its own?

Sometimes, especially if it’s caused by a temporary issue like a cold. But if it’s been going on for a while or is linked to things like nasal blockage or sleep apnea, it usually needs treatment and habit changes.

2. How long does it take to stop mouth breathing?

It depends on the cause. For some, changes happen in a few weeks with consistent effort. Others may need more time and support—especially if the root cause is structural or medical.

3. Will stopping mouth breathing improve my sleep?

Yes. Nasal breathing supports better oxygen flow and deeper sleep. Many people notice less snoring, fewer wakeups, and more energy during the day once they switch to nose breathing.