05/31/2026
Wise words from a Bismarck-local biological dentist!
I get a lot of questions from parents who have kids in the birth-age 3 stage, wondering what they can do to ensure proper airway development. They’re often concerned about their infants/toddler’s sleep and breathing.
Here’s what you should know for this age range:
1) Infants are obligate nasal breathers until 3-4 months. Use this to your advantage and do everything in your power to keep the nose moist and clear (using saline drops and a suction bulb).
Your focus and efforts should be on the NOSE so that once they develop the reflex to mouth breathe they won’t have to! Establish this neural pattern from the start by ensuring nasal patency - refer to ENT if chronic nasal congestion prevents this.
2) check for tongue tie that might interfere with breast feeding success
3) breast feed if you can- this develops proper tongue and swallow patterns and forward jaw growth
4) limit pacifier/thumb use and use a Myochew or myomunchee instead
5) introduce HARD foods as soon as it’s age appropriate and limit soft foods like puffs that don’t require the muscles to have to work
FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION in these early months!
The number one thing you can do months 4-12 is to ensure your child is physically able to breathe through their nose (check for systemic causes that could be contributing to chronic congestion).
Babies start out nasal breathing but it’s our job to make sure they can CONTINUE to do so once mouth breathing becomes an option.
Stay tuned for years 3-6.
