Dubai, UAE - As parents or caregivers, we always want to make sure our children grow up healthy and happy. We pay attention to what they eat, how they sleep, and even how they speak. Still there’s one habit that often goes unnoticed and requires the attention of a Kids Dentist in Dubai, which is mouth breathing.

While it might seem non-serious at first, breathing through the mouth instead of the nose, especially when it becomes a habit, can actually affect your child’s oral health, facial growth, and overall development. This is where early intervention through tools like myobrace and approaches like airway-focused Pediatric Dentistry can make a significant difference.
So, is mouth breathing in children a dental concern? The short answer is yes and let’s explore why it happens, how it affects your child, and what you can do about it.
What Is Mouth Breathing?
Mouth breathing is when your child breathes mainly through the mouth rather than the nose. It can happen during the day or night or both. While it's normal during a cold or allergy flare-up, constant or long-term mouth breathing is abnormal and should be checked by the best Pediatric Dentist in Dubai.
What Causes Mouth Breathing in Children?
There are several reasons why a child might breathe through their mouth:
a) Nasal Blockage: Conditions like colds, sinus infections, or allergies can block the nasal passages, making it hard to breathe through the nose.
b) Enlarged Adenoids or Tonsils: These are tissues at the back of the nose and throat. When they are too large, they can block the airway and force the child to breathe through the mouth, especially during sleep.
c) Deviated Nasal Septum: A crooked or off-center nasal septum (the wall between the two nostrils) can make nose breathing difficult.
d) Chronic Allergies or Asthma: Children with allergies or asthma often have inflamed airways, which makes nasal breathing harder.
e) Habitual Mouth Breathing:
Even after the original issue, like allergies or enlarged adenoids, is treated, some kids continue to mouth breathe out of habit. Many undergo adenoid or tonsil removal, yet without correcting the mouth breathing, the problem often returns. Unless breathing patterns are retrained, airway issues can persist or recur. This is why an airway-focused pediatric dental approach is essential.
f) Tongue-Tie or Poor Tongue Posture:
Conditions like tongue-tie, low muscle tone, or restricted tongue movement can prevent the tongue from resting on the palate, making nasal breathing difficult for children. These issues often go unnoticed yet play a major role in chronic mouth breathing. Early assessment and treatment, like myofunctional therapy or myobrace, can help.

Common Signs Your Child May Be Involved In Mouth Breathing
Sleeping with mouth open
Snoring or noisy breathing at night
Dry lips or frequent thirst
Bad breath
Droopy facial muscles or dark circles under the eyes
Long or narrow face shape
Difficulty concentrating or signs of fatigue during the day
Crooked or crowded teeth
If you notice these signs often, it’s time to take a closer look with the help of a children’s Dentist near me.
How Does Mouth Breathing Affect Oral and Facial Development
a) Dry Mouth Increases Risk of Cavities and Gum Disease
Saliva helps clean the mouth, control bacteria, and protect the teeth. When your child breathes through their mouth, the mouth becomes dry. A dry mouth allows more bacteria to grow, increasing the risk of tooth decay, gum infections, and bad breath.
b) Improper Jaw Growth and Facial Appearance
Mouth breathing changes how your child holds their jaw and tongue. Instead of the tongue resting on the roof of the mouth (which supports upper jaw growth), it drops to the bottom. This can lead to a narrow upper jaw, long or narrow face (adenoid face), flat cheeks, smaller/underdeveloped lower jaw, and open mouth posture. These changes may affect your child’s appearance and self-esteem as they grow older.
c) Misaligned Teeth and Bite Problems
Children who mouth breathe are more likely to have crowded or crooked teeth, overbite (upper teeth stick out over the lower teeth), open bite (front teeth don’t close together when the mouth is shut), or crossbite (misalignment of the upper and lower jaws).
These problems often require orthodontic treatment later on and may be more difficult to correct if mouth breathing is not addressed early by the best Pediatric Dentist in Dubai. In many cases, incorporating an airway dentistry approach helps identify the root cause, and using systems like myobrace can guide proper jaw development and improve breathing habits naturally.
d) Speech and Swallowing Difficulties
Mouth breathing can lead to improper tongue placement, which affects how your child speaks. Common speech issues include lisping, unclear speech, or difficulty pronouncing certain sounds. It may also impact swallowing patterns, which can put pressure on the teeth and lead to further dental problems.
e) Poor Sleep Quality and Behavioral Effects
Mouth breathing, especially during sleep, can lead to sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring or even mild sleep apnea. This results in less restful sleep, which can cause daytime tiredness, poor focus/memory, hyperactivity or mood swings, or behavioral problems that mimic ADHD. Sleep is critical for a child’s physical and mental development, so these issues should not be ignored.
How Can a Pediatric Dentist in Dubai Help?
Pediatric Dentists in Dubai are among the first to notice signs of mouth breathing. During a routine dental exam, the specialists may look for:
A narrow palate or upper jaw
High arched roof of the mouth
Dry lips and mouth
Open bite or crowding
Tongue position and function
If mouth breathing is suspected, your Pediatric Dentist in Dubai might:
Refer your child to an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist to assess for airway blockages
Recommend orthodontic appliances (like expanders) to widen the upper jaw and support better breathing
Suggest myofunctional therapy exercises or myobrace treatment that help train proper tongue position and encourage nasal breathing
Monitor your child’s growth and bite over time to manage any developing issues early
If you suspect your child is a mouth breather, instead of waiting, start with a visit to your trusted Pediatric Dentist near me.
Dr. Yasmin Kottait is a renowned Pediatric Dentist in Dubai who brings warmth, expertise, and a child-friendly approach to every dental visit. With years of specialized experience in Pediatric Dentistry Dubai, and treating children, she understands the unique dental needs of growing kids, including issues like mouth breathing, thumb sucking, and misaligned teeth. Her treatment philosophy includes airway-focused Pediatric Dentistry, which addresses the root causes of these problems for long-term results.
Dr. Yasmin Kottait focuses on preventive care, early diagnosis, and gentle treatment to ensure healthy smiles from the very start. Her clinic offers a safe and welcoming space where children feel comfortable, while parents feel confident that their child’s oral health is in expert hands.
About Dr. Yasmin Kottait:
Having dedicated over 20 years of her career to spreading smiles and imparting knowledge of oral hygiene to children, Dr. Yasmin is a renowned name as the best Dentist for Kids in Dubai. Her joyful personality and magical kid-whispering powers make dental appointments for kids an easy sail – and lots of fun, that they never miss a single dental appointment with her! Dr. Yasmin is also one of the few Autism-friendly Dentists in the region, with a diploma in Cognitive Based Hypnotherapy and IBCCES Autism certification.