Craniofacial changes and symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing in healthy children
Maria Christina Thomé Pacheco1, Bruna Santos Fiorott2, Nathalia Silveira Finck2
1Dental Clinic department, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil.
Insights
Many healthy children exhibit mouth breathing and craniofacial changes, increasing sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) risk. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for preventing SDB development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Otolaryngology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children are often linked to narrowed upper airways.
- Identifying craniofacial and clinical indicators is essential for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of craniofacial changes and SDB symptoms in healthy children.
- To assess the relationship between mouth breathing and specific clinical signs.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involved 687 healthy schoolchildren (aged 7-12).
- Data collected via medical history, dental exams, and respiratory tests.
- Quality of life was assessed using a validated questionnaire for mouth-breathers.
Main Results:
- 24.3% of children were mouth breathers (MB).
- Prevalent issues included tonsil hypertrophy (32.5%), high Mallampati scores (18%), overjet (26.1%), and open bite (17.7%).
- MB children showed high rates of atresic palate (53.9%), lip incompetence (35.9%), daytime sleepiness (33.5%), nasal congestion (32.2%), and snoring (19.6%).
Conclusions:
- Significant prevalence of facial alterations and mouth breathing symptoms in healthy children.
- Early detection and management are vital to mitigate SDB risks.
- Despite symptoms, mouth-breathing children reported good quality of life.
Introduction:
The main cause of mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in childhood is associated with upper airway narrowing to varying degrees.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of morphological and functional craniofacial changes and the main clinical symptoms of SDB in healthy children.
Methods:
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. A sample comprising 687 healthy schoolchildren, aged 7-12 years old and attending public schools, was assessed by medical history, clinical medical and dental examination, and respiratory tests. The self-perceived quality of life of mouth breathing children was obtained by a validated questionnaire.
Results:
Out of the total sample, 520 children were nose breathers (NB) while 167 (24.3%) were mouth breathers (MB); 32.5% had severe hypertrophy of the palatine tonsils, 18% had a Mallampati score of III or IV, 26.1% had excessive overjet and 17.7% had anterior open bite malocclusion. Among the MB, 53.9% had atresic palate, 35.9% had lip incompetence, 33.5% reported sleepiness during the day, 32.2% often sneezed, 32.2% had a stuffy nose, 19.6% snored, and 9.4% reported having the feeling to stop breathing while asleep. However, the self-perception of their quality of life was considered good.
Conclusion:
High prevalence of facial changes as well as signs and symptoms of mouth breathing were found among health children, requiring early diagnosis and treatment to reduce the risk of SDB.
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