Breathing & Oral Health: A Horrible Experience
Sent by Breath Curriculum | May 22, 2025
Something Personal: Why a Dentist Invited Me On His Podcast
When I told a friend I was guesting a dentist’s podcast, her eyebrows formed a confused expression.
How you breathe can actually influence whether your teeth grow straight or crooked—it can even shape the structure of your face.
This (and much more) is what I’m discussing with Dr. Hal Stewart on his podcast.
Watch it here!
Something Scientific: A Horrible Experiment
One of Harvold’s monkeys, after three years of mouth breathing.
Back in the 1970s, researchers conducted a cruel study on monkeys where they plugged their noses with silicone, forcing them to breathe only through their mouths.
The result? The monkeys’ teeth grew crooked, their faces narrowed, and their bones became misaligned.
The scary part? The same thing tends to happen to us.
Something For You To Practice: How Do You Breathe?
Pay attention to how you breathe during the day. When do you notice yourself breathing through your mouth? Where is your tongue resting—in the roof of your mouth or at the bottom?
Start observing little things like these to get to know your breath. If you have children, keep an eye on them too. The earlier you catch it, the easier it is to support healthy development.
Learn more here.
Key Takeaway: Listen to the podcast with Dr. Stewart and me here to learn how breathing can impact your teeth, face shape, and overall oral health. The simplest first step? Do everything you can to avoid mouth breathing — both during the day and at night. If you have kids, keep an eye on them too.
Next up: Can breathwork lower blood pressure? What does the science say? Plus, a practice I think you’ll enjoy.
Best,
Elsa
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