Study on symptoms of mouth breathing as a risk factor of periodontal disease

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the clinical periodontal parameters and the symptoms of mouth breathing. We examined the clinical periodontal parameters, such as Plaque index, PMA index and CPI of 253 elementary school children in Kitakyushu city. Symptoms of mouth breathing measured were lip seal, nasal obstruction, gingival overgrowth of labial surface, tension ridge of palate, anterior caries, lip drying, halitosis and high palate. Statistically higher Plaque index was observed in subjects with insufficient lip seal. Subjects with clinical symptoms of gingival overgrowth, tension ridge and anterior caries that may be the result from mouth breathing showed significant higher Plaque index comparing with subjects without symptoms. Nasal obstruction was not observed frequently subjects with clinical symptoms related to mouth breathing, so that nasal obstruction may not be the direct cause of the mouth breathing.