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The nose and the mouth serve very different
functions. Each nostril is innervated by five cranial nerves from
a different side of the brain. Each nostril functions independently
and synergistically in filtering, warming, moisturizing, dehumidifying,
and smelling the air. It's like having two noses housed in one shelter.
The respiratory system of carbon dioxide and oxygen exchange occurs in the alveoli of the lungs. When there is proper oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange, the blood will maintain a balanced pH. If carbon dioxide is lost too quickly, as in mouth breathing, oxygen absorption is decreased. There is a negative pressure built in the lungs, thereby decreasing the blood absorption of oxygen. Because the breathing mechanism (nerve innervations) is situated in the nose and not in the mouth, the brain thinks carbon dioxide is being lost too quickly through the nose. The brain sensing this, will stimulate the goblet cells to produce mucous and slow the breathing. Konstantine Buteyko, M.D. has discovered that when carbon dioxide is held longer in the lungs, the alveoli would relax. It would result in the increase of oxygen absorption in the blood. The Buteyko Breathing Technique encourages inhaling and exhaling through the nose. Dr. Buteyko claims that when there is sufficient carbon dioxide in the blood, the oxygen molecules will release more freely to all the cells of the body. The Buteyko practitioners, in many cases, claim the need for medication for asthmatic patients is reduced due to the greater efficiency of the naturally relaxed alveoli. Dr. Jon Lundberg, a physician at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm discovered the paranasal sinuses are powerful producers of nitric oxide (NO). Although this gas is considered a pollutant in the atmosphere, in small doses, it is lethal to bacteria and viruses. The sinuses are moist, warm, and bacteria-friendly. They should be perfect places for bacteria to live. He believes it is the nitric oxide that keeps the sinuses sterile. He found that nitric oxide is a strong vasodilator, a substance that dilates blood vessels. Since the sinuses create high concentration of NO, when we breathe through our noses, NO travels down the airway to the lungs. Dr. Lundberg shows that arterial oxygenation increases during nasal breathing compared to oral breathing. Doctors already use NO to open the blood vessels of patients on ventilators suffering from high blood pressure. Dr. Lundberg found that he can increase the oxygen content of his patients' blood by 25 percent by simply pumping their own nasal air into their ventilators. The role of nitric oxide (NO) in respiration, Dr. Lundberg states, would increase the amount of oxygen in the blood.
Dr. John Douillard claims that nose breathing enhances deep breathing in which the diaphragm contracts and increases the cavities of the lungs. Because the majority of the blood is located at the bottom of the lungs, more oxygen will be absorbed into the blood. The slower release of air through the nostrils will keep air in the lungs for a longer period of time, furthering the absorption of oxygen. With more effective breathing, the heart rate is reduced, less stress is placed on the heart, greater stamina, and rapid recovery from sport activities. Nose breathing becomes the function of the parasympathetic nervous system and leads to improved concentration and performance - helps to stay calm, relaxed, and focused - while in the "zone." Dr. Douillard calls the zone, "being in the eye of the hurricane" - calm and powerful! Mouth breathers are tongue thrusters and have poor tongue coordination. In tongue thrusting, the tongue pushes against the back of the teeth during swallowing. Abnormal swallowing patterns cause major problems in the cranio-facial development in children. Many of my colleagues in orthodontics have known for years that there was a direct relationship between the degree of mouth breathing and the severity of the malocclusion. Unbeknown to me was the magnitude of health issues that were associated with incorrect breathing. Incorrect breathing has affected almost every facet of our society. I have come to realize mouth
breathing is a huge problem and has a major influence in the quality
of our daily lives. Each of our bodies' 3,000,000,000,000 (trillion)
cells need oxygen, otherwise they will die." |