Before 1700 not many people where mouth breathers.

Dry Mouth Fix: The Natural Way

What is the prevalence of mouth breathing onder adults in the night in the USA and in Europe ?

In scientific and medical literature, measuring pure nocturnal mouth breathing across entire adult populations is notoriously difficult because sleeping people don't self-report easily, because the sleep most of the time. :)
Clinical studies usually focus on broader conditions like Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or habitual snoring and unfortunately forget mouth breathing .

However, looking at consumer survey data alongside clinical sleep studies, estimates provides a clear picture of its prevalence in the USA and Europe:

1. USA Prevalence

  • Self-Reported / Consumer Surveys: Large consumer population surveys (such as the KRC Research / Breathe Right "About Last Night" national survey) revealed that up to 61% of American adults self-identify as nighttime mouth breathers. Furthermore, 71% of American households reported sharing a bed with or being a mouth breather.

  • Clinical / Sleep Study Estimates: In clinical settings using objective monitoring (like polysomnography), about 30% to 50% of adults show significant episodes of mouth breathing or oral-nasal airflow switching during sleep.

  • Correlated Sleep Conditions: Around 20–30% of US adults suffer from sleep-disordered breathing or OSA, where mouth breathing is present in a majority of cases (either as a cause or a compensatory response to nasal collapse).

2. Europe Prevalence

  • Population Averages: Clinical studies across European countries (such as Sweden, the UK, Germany, and France) show slightly lower rates of self-reported primary snoring and sleep apnea compared to the US, but nocturnal mouth breathing remains widespread—estimated clinically between 25% and 40% of adults.

  • Nasal Congestion Impact: European epidemiological studies on chronic rhinitis and nasal obstruction show that over 20–30% of European adults experience nighttime nasal blockages (from seasonal allergies, structural deviations, or cold climate dry air), which directly forces mouth breathing during sleep.

Why Is the Rate So High?

The high prevalence across both regions comes down to three main triggers:

  1. Overnight Nasal Obstruction: Allergies, deviated septa, or chronic sinusitis force the body to open the jaw to take in air.

  2. Sleep Apnea & Snoring: Muscle relaxation during deep sleep lets the lower jaw drop, shifting airway reliance to the mouth.

  3. Weight & Age: Both obesity and aging loosen airway muscle tone, increasing the likelihood of open-mouth breathing while lying flat.

Why we started to be
Mouth Breathers

Bio-archaeological and anthropological research shows that chronic mouth breathing and crooked teeth were very rare in earlier centuries (and particularly before the Industrial Revolution).

The skulls of our ancestors (such as hunter-gatherers) almost all exhibit broad jaws, perfectly straight teeth, wide nasal cavities, and a spacious airway. Only in the last few hundred years has there been talk of what researchers call the "jaw phobia" or "jaw epidemic": our jaws have shrunk drastically.

What caused that? (The 4 main reasons)

The shrinking of our jaws—and the resulting chronic mouth breathing—is not a rapid genetic mutation, but the result of changed environmental factors.

1. Our food has become too soft (The lack of muscle)
Our ancestors had to chew for hours on tough meat, fibrous roots, seeds, and raw plants. * In the past: Those intense chewing movements during childhood stimulated bone growth in the upper and lower jaws. The jaw grew wide enough to accommodate all teeth as well as a spacious nasal cavity.* Now: Since the rise of agriculture and (especially) industrially processed food, children eat almost exclusively soft food (boiled vegetables, breads, squeeze pouches, minced meat). The chewing muscles are barely trained, causing the jaws to remain narrow and "underdeveloped."

2. Narrow jaws = Blocked nasal airway
Because the upper jaw is not only the roof of your mouth but also forms the floor of your nasal cavity, a narrow jaw has direct consequences:
A small, narrow upper jaw automatically results in a *narrower nasal cavity**.
If passage through the nose feels too heavy or blocked, the body unconsciously switches to the path of least resistance: *breathing through the mouth**.

3. Breastfeeding vs. Bottle Feeding and Pacifiers
In earlier times, babies were often breastfed for years. Sucking and "milking" milk at the breast requires specific muscle strength from the tongue and jaw that shapes the upper jaw into a broad and round shape. The advent of modern pacifiers and soft bottle teats stimulates that specific bone growth much less, which contributes to a narrower palate.

4. Indoor Living and AllergiesIn the past, people lived mainly outdoors. Nowadays, we spend the majority of our time indoors, surrounded by dust mites, mold, pets, and air pollution. This has led to a massive increase in chronic allergies, swollen tonsils, and sinusitis, forcing children to start breathing through their mouths.

> The vicious circle: Narrow jaws cause mouth breathing, but mouth breathing, in turn, makes the jaw even narrower. If a child sleeps with their mouth open, the tongue rests at the bottom of the mouth instead of against the palate. Without the natural counter-pressure of the tongue, the upper jaw does not grow in width but deforms into a narrow, high "vothuis," leaving even less space for the nose and teeth.

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