Every day, parents trust pediatricians and pediatric dentists to guide their child’s health, assuming their recommendations reflect current science. Yet one crucial area is often overlooked: airway health.
Many clinicians do not ask about sleep posture, check for mouth breathing, or examine under the tongue. Too often they wait for a crisis—behavioral problems, speech delays, or severely crowded teeth—before addressing underlying airway issues.
You may have heard common reassurances:
“Kids will outgrow snoring.”
“Mouth breathing is normal—don’t worry.”
“Teeth grinding? They’ll stop eventually.”
“Lip or tongue ties? That only matters for breastfeeding.”
This guidance is outdated and can be harmful.
For decades, pediatric guidance minimized childhood breathing problems. Only relatively recently did the pediatric community begin to recognize pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as a common and serious condition. Landmark research in the early 2000s changed our understanding:
- A 2002 Pediatrics study linked childhood sleep-disordered breathing with ADHD diagnoses.
- Research by Dr. Christian Guilleminault demonstrated that untreated airway dysfunction in childhood can cause lasting developmental changes in jaw growth and cognitive function.
Despite clear evidence, many guidelines and day-to-day practices remain slow to adapt. I have practiced dentistry for over 40 years, and it wasn’t until my fifties—after a daughter pointed out my snoring—that I explored dental sleep medicine through the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. More recently, another daughter received treatment for tongue tie and underwent MARPE. These personal and professional experiences over the past 15 years revealed how much can be missed when care focuses solely on traditional orthodontics.
Now my grandchild is receiving a different, airway-focused approach:
- Early tongue-tie release
- Adenoid removal when indicated
- Myofunctional therapy beginning in infancy
The outcomes have been clear:
- Reduced snoring
- Elimination of teeth grinding
- Improved sleep and noticeable behavioral progress
Below are practical recommendations I share with parents who suspect airway problems in their children.
Mark’s 10 Must-Haves for Airway Health in Kids
These are the measures I suggest to support airway development and healthy breathing patterns:
- Magnesium – Supports airway muscle tone, improves sleep quality, and can reduce teeth grinding. Choose a child-appropriate formulation and follow dosing advice from a healthcare provider.
- Xylitol nasal spray – Helps keep nasal passages clear and encourages nasal breathing, which supports proper facial and airway development.
- Mouth tape (kid-safe) – When appropriate and used under guidance, a gentle mouth tape can train children to keep their lips closed and breathe through the nose during sleep.
- Vitamin D3 + K2 drops – Important for bone and jaw development; use pediatric dosages recommended by a clinician.
- Cod liver oil – Provides vitamins A and D plus omega-3 fatty acids to support overall growth and immune health when used appropriately.
- Myofunctional therapy – Exercises and guidance to train correct tongue posture and oral function from an early age.
- Chew tools (MyoMunchee or similar) – Safe chewing devices that encourage oral muscle tone and support healthy jaw growth.
- Consistent sleep routine – Regular bedtimes and calming pre-sleep habits regulate the nervous system and promote restorative sleep.
- Airway-informed providers – Seek clinicians experienced in airway-focused care, including dentists, ENT specialists, and myofunctional therapists with pediatric expertise.
Each of these elements targets a biological factor that influences how a child breathes, sleeps, and develops. Early recognition and intervention can prevent long-term problems and improve quality of life.
If you follow a newsletter or pediatric airway resources, look for simple screening tools and checklists to help identify early signs. Acting sooner rather than later increases the likelihood of better breathing, growth, and behavior outcomes.
– Dr. Mark Burhenne
If you know a parent who would benefit from this information, please forward this article to them.
P.S. Please share this with another parent who needs to learn about pediatric airway health—early awareness can make a meaningful difference.