Mouth Breathing Matters More Than You Think: Part 1
You might be wondering… what exactly is airway health, and why does it matter?
This isn’t just a passing trend.
Poor airway health is linked to a wide range of developmental challenges. As speech-language pathologists, we know that compromised airway development can negatively impact speech, feeding, sleep, behavior, learning, facial growth, and oral function.
A healthy, well-functioning airway lays the foundation for clear speech, which supports not just communication, but also self-confidence, social connection, and emotional well-being.
By prioritizing airway health early in life, we can help children eat more effectively, speak more clearly, and reach their full potential. When it’s overlooked, however, it can contribute to long-term developmental struggles.
Today, we're taking a closer look at what defines a healthy airway — and what doesn’t — because early awareness can make all the difference.
What is a healthy airway?
A healthy airway allows for unobstructed breathing. This means a child can breathe through their nose easily, both during the day and at night. Nasal breathing filters and humidifies the air before reaching the lungs, which is essential for overall health! At rest, the lips should be closed and the tongue should sit on the roof of the mouth (not rest on the bottom!). Proper rest posture for oral structures supports facial and jaw development, which is necessary for clear speech and feeding and swallowing skills. With a healthy airway, transitioning from purees, or soft foods, to solids should be easy and there shouldn’t be any discomfort or fatigue during meals. Additionally, a healthy airway supports restful, quiet sleep. Snoring or mouth breathing during sleep is never normal! Because children are well rested, a healthy airway also supports a more focused and emotionally regulated child. When we sleep better, we feel better — and function at our best!
What are signs of poor airway health?
Here are some warning signs of poor airway health:
Speech difficulties
Children with airway issues may struggle with producing certain sounds, nasal-sounding speech, and/or reduced speech clarity or intelligibility.
These challenges are often linked to low tongue posture, a high or narrow palate, or limited space in the mouth—all of which can be caused by mouth breathing or structural airway issues. We’ll explore this more deeply in Part 2 of this blog series.
Chronic mouth breathing
Mouth breathing bypasses the nose’s natural filtering system, leading to dry lips, bad breath, poor sleep, and even changes in facial structure over time. It’s also linked to frequent colds, ear infections, and inflammation.
Mouth breathing typically results in an open-mouth posture: lips apart, tongue resting low in the mouth, and often excess drooling. Over time, this can contribute to abnormal facial and jaw development.
Feeding difficulties
Chewing and swallowing difficulties may include: inefficient or noisy chewing, tongue thrust when swallowing, preference for soft foods, difficulty transitioning from purees to solid foods, picky eating and gagging/choking.
Because the body always prioritizes breathing over eating, airway issues can directly interfere with safe, effective feeding.
Snoring or restless sleep
Snoring is never normal in children. If your child snores, mouth breathes during sleep, grinds their teeth, or wakes up tired, it may indicate airway obstruction. Poor sleep can also lead to irritability, difficulty focusing, and hyperactivity.
Other warning signs can include: chronic nasal congestion or allergies, hoarseness or vocal strain, persistent bad breath, and drooling beyond typical developmental age.
A healthy airway is essential to a child’s overall growth and well-being.
Be sure to come back for Part 2!
In Part 2 of this blog series, we’ll take a closer look at the underlying causes of mouth breathing, which specialists can help, and the steps you can take if you’re concerned about your child’s airway health.
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