Sometimes it is better to keep your mouth shut: mouth versus nose breathing

Many studies highlight the benefits of nasal breathing and the drawbacks of mouth breathing at rest, yet a significant portion of the population are regular mouth breathers. Chronic mouth breathing can harm respiratory health by allowing unfiltered, poorly humidified air to enter the lungs, leading to potential respiratory damage. Nighttime mouth breathing is also linked to snoring and sleep apnoea. Over half of school-aged children regularly breathe through their mouths, and by age six, 25% develop sleep-disordered breathing . Unlike the mouth, nasal cavities warm, humidify, and filter inhaled air [8] reducing risks of colds, flu, allergies, and coughs. Nasal breathing also helps prevent bronchoconstriction, playing a key role in asthma management [9]. Nasal breathing also helps prevent bronchoconstriction, playing a key role in asthma management, and enhances nitric oxide intake, a bronchodilator with antiviral properties. Despite these insights, few studies have examined how mouth breathing affects drug deposition, absorption, and transport. This study aims to systematically investige the acute effects of mouth breathing on these processes, addressing the lack of research in this area. The project aims to understand how mouth breathing, and changes in temperature, humidity, pH, and osmotic pressure, impact drug permeability in the oral-pharyngeal tract, with implications for respiratory health.