Easy Breathing

 Why nose breathing is better Your  nose  is  designed to  warm,  moisten  and filter   the   air   that    you   breathe.   Excessive

mouth  breathing  can  be  problematic as  air is not  filtered  and  warmed  as  much  as  when  it’s inhaled through the nose. This could result in a wide range of respiratory and allergic conditions.

 

 

Dr Douw van der  Merwe is a dentist  who has been practising for many years. He comments, “When    someone    breathes   through    their mouth,   they   breathe  polluted   air,   with  all its  allergens, straight  into  the  lungs  without having  it  filtered.   The  lungs  of  babies   and children   are   especially   sensitive   and   need to   be    protected.”He   further    points    out, “It’s  important to  breathe through  the  nose because, as well as purifying polluted  air, the nasal   passages  ensure  that   air  reaches the lungs at the correct humidity and temperature. In my practice, I see  children  with  sinusitis, bronchitis and  gingivitis  which  appear  to  be directly  related   to  mouth  breathing. When  I encourage  these  children  to  breathe through their  noses  they appear  to be far less prone to allergies and infections.”

 

Encourage “nose breathing” Dr   Van   der   Merwe  is   a   keen   advocate   of orthodontic dummies.  He says, “In particular, I

am most impressed with the German orthodontic brand of dummies.  I have been recommending NUK dummies  to  expectant  mothers  for many years.  I  find  that  a  NUK dummy  fits  snugly underneath the  nose  of a  baby  and  seals  off the  mouth  in such  a way  that  correct  suction  is assisted and mouth breathing  is prevented.”

 

He  advocates   the   use   of  an   orthodontic dummy until the  age of about  3 years. If your child habitually breathes through his mouth,  he needs to be examined  by a dentist or a medical professional   who  can  identify  and  treat  the problem  appropriately. It is Dr Van der Merwe’s contention that  the use of a dummy from early on in your baby’s life will assist correct breathing  as it helps to create the habit of nose breathing.

 

For more  information  please  contact  Dr  Douw van der Merwe at vdmerwedouw@telkomsa.net

 

 

The NUK dummy was designed by Prof Balters and Dr Muller – both Orthodontists– in answer to a  call by  the German government  for a solution  to  rapidly  increasing jaw development  problems, experienced after World War 2.  The  solution  was  the NUK orthodontic shape. NUK  is short for Natuerlich und Kiefergerecht, loosely translated as  “natural   and correct for  the jaw”. The NUK dummy exercises  the  jaw,  in the correct way, between feeds. The   NUK    dummy   allows your  child  to suck for comfort, while you as a parent can  rest assured  that  the   orthodontic design  will  not  interfere with his   orthodontic  development and at the same time encourage

correct breathing.