Benefits of Nose Breathing

Your nose and nasal passages are uniquely designed to condition the air you breathe before it enters your lungs. Conclusions from the literature are consistent. The advantages of nose breathing include:

Your nose contains hairs, including microscopic hairs called cilia, that help filter out dust, allergens, and pollen to prevent them from entering your lungs.
Your nasal passage warms and moisturizes the air you breathe which is beneficial for your lungs.
During nose breathing, nitric oxide is released which has two important functions. It kills bacteria and works as a vasodilator to help expand your blood vessels, including the surface area of the alveoli in your lungs.

While mouth breathing has advantages in certain circumstances, such as during heavy exercise, you don’t want to be a chronic mouth breather. Chronic mouth breathing, including mouth breathing during sleep, has numerous disadvantages. These generally include:

The inhaled air is not filtered, warmed, or moistened.
Dry mouth may occur which may lead to gum disease and bad breath.
Nitric oxide is not released, hence the benefits are not realized.
May result in snoring.