Beat the Heat for Better Breathing: Summer Tips for Hydration, Airway Health & Oral Function

Between the heat, the travel, and the shifting routines, summer can quietly impact your child’s breathing, sleep, and oral function — especially if they’re already prone to mouth breathing or nasal congestion.

But with a few gentle shifts, you can support their overall health and their airway — helping them feel better, sleep deeper, and build stronger oral habits that last long past the summer months.

How Summer Impacts Oral and Airway Health

Mouth breathing often increases in summer due to allergies, dry air, or dehydration — and it’s more than just a habit. Chronic mouth breathing can affect:

• Facial development and jaw growth

• Sleep quality

• Speech and feeding function

• Focus and emotional regulation

Signs of mouth breathing may include:

• Open lips while at rest

• Snoring or noisy breathing at night

• Chapped lips, dry mouth, or drooling

• Forward head posture

• Tiredness even after sleep

Why Hydration Matters for Oral Function

When kids are even slightly dehydrated, the body produces less saliva — which plays a key role in oral health, swallowing, and nasal breathing.

Hydration tips that support oral + airway function:

• Offer frequent sips of water (not just big drinks at meals)

• Add fruit slices or fun straws to make water more engaging

• Limit sugary drinks that dry the mouth and disrupt the microbiome

Tip: If your child’s lips are dry, their airway probably is too.

Create a Cool, Airway-Friendly Sleep Environment

Summer sleep can be disrupted by heat and dryness, especially if your child already struggles with congestion or breathing through their nose.

Try these simple swaps to support better sleep:

• Use a fan or white noise machine to keep air moving

• Consider a nasal saline spray before bed (check with your provider)

• Keep rooms dark and cool with blackout curtains

• Encourage nasal breathing with calm, lips-together breathing before sleep

Use Playtime to Build Oral Motor Skills

Summer play can actually support oral development — no fancy tools needed. Try:

• Blowing bubbles (promotes lip rounding and breath control)

• Drinking from straws or open cups

• Chewing crunchy fruits and veggies during snack time

• Sidewalk chalk or water painting (supporting posture + breath)

These little activities build tongue strength, jaw stability, and nasal breathing — all key pillars of orofacial myofunctional health.

Key Takeaways:

• Summer can increase mouth breathing due to heat, allergies, and dehydration.

• Hydration, cool sleep environments, and oral-friendly play can support better breathing and function.

• Watch for signs like dry lips, snoring, or open-mouth posture — they might be small cues with a big impact.

• Myofunctional therapy supports the root cause, not just the symptoms.

Want Support This Summer? We’re Here for You.

If you’re noticing signs of mouth breathing or sleep disruption in your child (or yourself), OroGlow can help. We offer free consultations to assess what’s going on and create a plan that fits your life.

Located in Abilene, Texas, we also support families virtually, no matter where summer takes you.