Blog:   Great dental experiences, life and wellness dentistry

the hidden health benefits of breathing through your nose

Your mouth is for eating and talking. Your nose is for breathing.

That sounds simple. It is not how most people are living. Chronic mouth breathing, especially at night, is one of the most common things I find in my chair, and one of the most overlooked. It shows up as dry mouth, cavities that appear in people who brush beautifully, red puffy gums, morning headaches, clenching and cracked teeth, restless sleep, and kids who wake up tired. Different symptoms, same upstream problem.

Why your nose matters more than you think

Your nose is not just a hole in your face. It filters, warms, and humidifies every breath before it reaches your lungs, which takes real work off your immune system. It also does something remarkable: your sinuses produce nitric oxide, and every nasal breath carries it down into your lungs and bloodstream. Nitric oxide relaxes and widens your blood vessels, which supports healthy circulation and helps your body actually use the oxygen you are taking in. It has natural antimicrobial properties too.

When you breathe through your nose, you get all of that for free. When you breathe through your mouth, you skip most of it. You also dry out the saliva that is protecting your teeth all night long, which is why mouth breathers so often get cavities along the gumline, irritated gums, and that sticky, sour feeling in the morning. Saliva is not just moisture. It is your mouth’s ecosystem, and drying it out night after night shifts the balance toward the bacteria you do not want.

There is a structural piece too. Nasal breathing keeps your tongue where it belongs, resting up against the roof of your mouth. That tongue position is what shapes a wide, well developed upper jaw in a growing child and helps hold the airway open in an adult. Mouth breathing drops the tongue to the floor of the mouth, and over years that shows up as a narrower arch, crowded teeth, and a smaller airway. This is one of the reasons I care so much about catching it early in kids. 

And it’s also why we love to correct it in kids and adults with orthodontic clear aligners (ProMonitoring/Invisalign/Progressive Aligners).  More than cosmetic, the benefits to dental and overall health are numerous.

Good breathing is foundational. Not a nice add-on. If your airway is compromised, everything downstream (your sleep, your recovery, your circulation, your focus, your jaw joints, your teeth) is working harder than it should.

What we do about it here

We test nitric oxide levels. It is quick, it is comfortable, and it gives us real data on whether you are actually moving air through your nose the way you should be. In seconds, we can tell if your levels are optimal, low, or depleted.  By making it concrete, it turns “how you breathe” into something we can measure and connect to your circulation and your sleep, not just your teeth.

We assess your airway at every single exam. Not just when you mention snoring. We are looking at tongue position, palate shape, tonsil size, wear patterns on your teeth, scalloping along the sides of your tongue, and how your jaw is developing or aging. These are clues, and they are visible long before anyone gets a sleep diagnosis.

Four things you can start this week

1. Build a nasal hygiene routine. Yes, this should be a thing. You brush your teeth and wash your face every day without thinking about it. Your nose does far more filtering than either one and most people never rinse it. Add it to the routine.

2. Start with saline misting. A simple non-medicated saline spray, morning and night. No medication, no rebound congestion, no downside. When you are ready to level up, move to a neti pot or rinse bottle a few times a week. One rule that is not optional: use distilled, sterile, or previously boiled and cooled water. Never straight tap water.  

3. Notice your breathing. Set two or three phone reminders. When they go off, ask yourself: Is my mouth closed? Is my tongue resting on the roof of my mouth? Am I breathing through my nose right now? That is it. Awareness first, then practice nose-only breathing on an easy walk. If you cannot do it comfortably while walking, that is useful information and I want to know about it.

4. Consider mouth taping at night. A small piece of tape made for this purpose, gently keeping your lips together while you sleep, so your nose does the work. Patients consistently report waking up without that dry, cottony mouth, less snoring, deeper rest, and less morning jaw soreness. It is not for everyone. Do not tape if you cannot comfortably breathe through your nose all day, if you have been drinking, if you are congested, or if you have untreated sleep apnea. Talk to us first, and never tape a child without an evaluation. 

*There are many choices in mouth tape (some types are beard-friendly, or look like cute lips; we recommend keeping it simple and use medical-grade sensitive for skin tape which comes in a roll and can be torn to the size you want).   We have samples we can send you home with to try out.  

Want to go deeper?

These three books are currently on my shelf and am reading:  Breath by James Nestor, Airway Is Life by Meghna Dassani, and Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.

Your next step

At your next visit, ask us to check your nitric oxide level and walk you through your airway assessment. If you have been snoring, waking up dry, or dragging through your afternoons, do not wait for your six month recall. Call us and let’s take a look.

You see us more often than you see almost anyone else in healthcare, and your mouth shows the evidence first. That makes this chair one of the earliest places a breathing problem can be seen. 

To your health and your smile!  

-Dr. Grace

(7/24/26)

Have you checked your email lately?   Last month we sent out our first practice monthly newsletter!  We plan to continue sending these at the end of each month.    

• Connection and something Fun:    Look for happenings in our office, personal stories and photos of our team members and families.  
• Something Helpful:   A Wellness Dentistry tip (last month was about Vitamin D levels and how optimal levels help overall dental health as well)
• Something our office offers you, your friends and loved ones might not know about, yet?   Feature about a service or modality we offer that you might not know we have.  It might interest you. It might be a benefit and help to you.    (Last month we featured info about Ozone disinfection — what it is and how it works.   We also shared about our informal WELLNESS NOOK…a mini, free lending library to share some of our favorite helpful books on whole body wellness. ) 

Reach out if you’d like to be added to our email list!  [email protected]

(7.17.26)

A Look at All-on-4 case, (AKA “Teeth in a Day”) 

Some cases stop you in your tracks.

This week Dr. Grace delivered full-arch zirconia All-on-4 for a patient who drove a long way to get to us — and it reminds us exactly why we do this work.

He came in with narrow arches, a compromised bite, and teeth that, despite everything, just couldn’t be saved. Infection. Fractures. Years of compounding damage. No judgment — just a plan.  

Four appointments. A consultation to map everything out, digital impressions and photogrammetry for lab-level precision, a PMMA trial so he could wear it, test it, and tell me what to refine — then final delivery in full zirconia.

This is what personalized care looks like. He told us what he needed. We listened, we built it, and he left with a smile he can actually be confident in.

This is also the range of what we do here — from a child’s first filling to a case like this one. Everyday dentistry and full-arch restorations, same-day crowns, orthodontics, smile design and wellness dentistry. All under one roof. All with the same attention to detail.

You don’t have to travel far for exceptional care — but we’re glad he did. 💚

You can follow us on Ig /Fb  #sweettoothvalencia to see more of our cases and see what our team has been up to.  

(6/5/26)

Hello, 2026!  ELEVATED WELLNESS: IT STARTS WITH YOUR SMILE   

Wellness is more than just green juices, the number of steps taken in a day or visits to
the gym. It’s about truly feeling good, looking natural and radiating confidence — inside
and out. A healthy smile lays the foundation to support quality sleep, digestion,
energy levels and overall well-being. When your mouth feels good and is stable, its
easier for everything else to align when it comes to health.

We are here for you, to guide and support your individual dental wellness journey.

Take care of YOU this year:

• Remember to floss! Flossing with string is best to remove daily bacteria biofilm
  and gunk which lead to cavities, gum disease and more. But if you can’t/won’t
  floss by hand, electric flossers, like the ones from Slate or Flaus, make it doable
  around natural teeth. Pro-tip – always be careful flossing around crowns, slide
  the floss out the side. Why floss? Lowers risk of developing dementia!
  Researchers (American Academy of Neurology) found those with gum disease
  had a 56% higher risk of getting dementia.
• Brush gently, avoid harsh, abrasive whitening toothpastes. Scrubbing away the
  outer tooth layer causes the inside yellow dentin to surface, appear darker and
  sensitivity. If you are looking for a glow-up, professional tooth whitening (1 hour) is safe and effective.
• Straighten your teeth to get them out of a harmful bite pattern.
  Correct first, and then protect!  Wear a nightguard to protect your teeth from trauma of clenching/grinding
  habits.
• Drink enough daily water (1/2 your body weight in ounces, is a good rule of thumb).  Add + 1 TBSP of chia seeds for superior hydration.  Adequate hydration enables adequate saliva formation, a cornerstone to maintain good pH, fewer cavities and your body’s natural way of protecting tooth enamel to maintain a healthy oral microbiome.
• Mouth tape when sleeping. If you can, it’s a game changer!
• Take a Dental-specific Probiotic to support healthy oral microbiome (favorites include ProBiora and Bristle)

Adapted from article written by Dr. Grace published in InsiderSCV Magazine (Nov 2025)

What is Wellness Dentistry?  

10/29/24 – We are very excited to announce our SMILE GIVEWAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!   We have been wanting to do a “Project Smile” like this for awhile and THIS YEAR, we WILL be able to make it happen!  Whether it’s confidence for a job interview, a long-awaited smile transformation, or a boost in self-esteem — we’d love to make it happen!   We’re excited to make the season brighter with this gift of dentistry.

We all have a family member, co-worker, or friend who is affected by the look of their smile.  This is an opportunity to be able to change their life and make a real difference.  Please help us spread the word about this smile makeover and let others know how they can enter!     

Together we can make this holiday season unforgettable by giving the gift of a confident smile.  We have seen how a great and healthy smile can change everything.  It’s easier to live a healthier life and enjoy overall wellness. We know this positive impact can make a huge difference in someone’s life and that’s why we are hoping to get the word out to as many people as possible in our community.   Make sure to apply by December 1st! 

10/4/24 – We have been away from the blog for awhile!  Time truly flies.  We have busy doing dentistry and taking care of our patients. Our friends and followers keep up with the latest dentistry, wellness developments and our adventures on social media (Instagram and Facebook #sweettoothvalencia).  Stay tuned on updates we will share on this page in upcoming weeks and months.   Our core values include making a positive impact in our community, adhering to a high standard of excellence and bringing information that is of value to help and serve our patients.     

5/26/20 — We can’t wait to see you soon!  We have begun to see limited patients for a soft reopening, prioritizing urgent clinical care needs first.  We have been closely following recommendations from the California Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control, California Dental Association and various agencies which agree that dental care can resume safely while operating with certain screening measures and protocols.

We have carefully implemented specific measures with the goal of maintaining a careful and safe environment for all.    We will resume routine hygiene care on June 2nd.

Additionally, we will continue to provide HEPA air filtration in all treatment rooms, adding more state-of-the-art high volume evacuation systems, and hypochlorous acid fogging.   

5/19/20 —  Looking forward to see all our patients soon! 

Twas the night before reopening and all through the office
All surfaces were disinfected, can’t be too cautious.
The gowns were hung in the operatories with care.
In hopes that the patient’s soon would be there

The team were nestled all snug in their beds.
While visions of healthy teeth danced in their heads.
And Doc in her lab coat and surgical cap
Had just settled her brain for a last quarantine nap.

In the front office, the next morning, there arose such a clatter.
She sprang from her office to see what was the matter.
Away to the front, she flew like a flash,
Tore open the door, and put on a mask.

The lights, the people…Air purifier outflow
For a second, she was shocked, did not know where to go.
When what, to her wandering eyes should appear
Her patients, the ones that she held so dear.

The dental team all ready, so lively and quick
Called patients one by one so no one gets sick.
Slowly out of cars, the patients they came.
She took temperatures at the door, and called them by name.

Now Mrs. Smith, Mr. Lancer
Mr and Mrs. Vixen
Stay in your car please Mrs. Cupid
Now your turn Mr. Blitzen.
Walk to the back.
Please don’t touch the walls.
Now sanitize, sanitize,
Sanitize all.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in each dental chair
The scraping, the cleaning, they were taking all care.
Protecting all present from illness as they have always done
Making sure to take all precautions, each and every one.

She spoke not a word, and tried not to look weepy
Washed her hands thoroughly and put on PPE
She sat down to get started, taking every precaution
She helped her patient’s that day.
She had no other option.

At the end of the day, her team gave a whistle
Then out to their cars, they shot like a missile.
But I heard her exclaim, ‘ere she drove out of sight.

Happy REOPENING DAY to all, and to all a goodnight. 

(-written by Dr. Nicole Medley, shared with her permission)

3/26/20 – WE ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED and are eager to return to the office to see patients soon.   However, the latest COVID-19 recommendations from the California Dental Association call for dental practices to only treat limited “life threatening” and “emergency care.”  We believe this is in the best interest of our patients, team and public health, so we have closed temporarily at this time.   Dr. Grace remains on-call for dental emergencies, as needed.  Please call our office if you are experiencing an urgent matter. In the meantime, please know that we have always taken health, safety and wellness measures seriously.   Disinfection, sterilization, best practices always  been in place for infections diseases that we are mindful that could be encountered daily, including but not limited to: Influenza, Hepatitis A/B/C, HIV, Ebola, SARS, H1N1.   When we reopen, we will continue to do our best to promote safety for our patients and team.   

In addition to usual established protocols, we:

1) Have all patients use pre-procedural rinse which reduces microbes in the mouth and has been shown to deactivate/kill coronavirus.

2) Use air filters in our treatment room to cleanse the air of pathogens. 

Keep calm, wash you hands, be kind and floss on!  

Blessings and happy smiles, 

Dr. Grace and team at Sweet Tooth Dentistry

march 15, 2018 – you’re my best friend… 

At Sweet Tooth Dentistry, we start each day with a morning “huddle.”  We review the day ahead with the team.  And it’s a good day, when we notice our new patient is on the schedule again, who was just here yesterday.  She told us she hadn’t seen a dentist in 7 years and I had to give her the bad news, that there were a lot of “fires” to put out, so to speak…quite a bit of treatment to catch up on.  

Jose brought her in and I reviewed what we were going to do at this appointment.  Settled her in and set her up so that she was comfortable, streamed a Netflix show that she could listen to with our Bluetooth headphones.   She had previously expressed feeling nervous about the appointment, but thought she wouldn’t need sedation to get through her appointment.  She was looking forward to watching a show today during treatment. 

I check in on her periodically:  “How are you doing?  You okay?  Everything is going great, we are more than two-thirds through!”

People say the darnedest things .   We endeavor to do dentistry differently and we look forward to you coming back to see us.

November 12, 2017 – ORAL CANCER AWARENESS – EVA’S STORY

Dr. Grace:  When I was in dental school 17 years ago, I had the privilege of treating a patient, Doug, who had undergone Oral Maxillofacial and plastic surgery to treat his oral cancer.   He lost part of his upper jaw and roof of his mouth as well one eye.  He wore a removable prosthesis and plastic black glasses to hide what had happened to him.  He was a wonderful patient and took pains to show me what the defects underneath and inside looked like.  He spent 45 minutes each day to carefully clean all the areas inside his mouth and head to prevent infection and maintain what he had.   That left a lasting impact.  It was obvious to see how personal cancer is — and how too often — the diagnosis is made devastatingly late. 

Nearly 50,000 people are diagnosed with orapharyngeal cancer.  50-75% of these people die within 5 years. 

Most women have learned how to screen themselves for a self-breast exam.   What if people knew how to do this for Oral Cancer, too?  

Eva Grayzel, is an oral cancer survivor.   Our team at Sweet Tooth Dentistry attended a dental conference this past weekend, where she told her story.  She did not fit the “typical profile” when she was diagnosed as a 33 year old mom with 2 young kids.  Conventionally, people considered at highest risk are white male smokers, over age 50.   For her, the “canker store” never went away and she ended up being diagnosed with Stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma…roughly 2 years later.  She is lucky to be a survivor of oral cancer and in a unique position to be able to tell her story after having a large portion of her tongue removed.    

She has written children’s books, such as, Mr. C Plays Hide and Seek. (Available on Amazon) She says cancer affected the whole family and her kids particularly had a difficult time understanding what was happening.

She also advises, if you know someone experiencing cancer…instead of saying, “You look great!” say “It’s great to see you.”

This inspiring woman started an organization to raise awareness and develop a 6 Step Oral Cancer screening program. 

Dr. Grace and the hygienists check these areas at every visit.  You should also be familiar with what is the normal appearance for your own:

1) TONGUE 

2) CHEEK/LIPS 

3) FLOOR YOUR MOUTH/UNDER YOUR TONGUE 

4) ROOF OF YOUR MOUTH 

5) SIDES OF YOUR NECK 

6) BACK OF YOUR MOUTH/THROAT  (this is where actor Michael Douglas developed throat cancer)

She got all of us conference attendees (at least a few hundred of us!) to stand up, dance and rap along with her to a lyric she wrote!  Check out her youtube video: 

Oral Cancer Save-A-Life Rap CLICK HERE – Youtube Link

Lyrics

I thought it was a canker sore, just wouldn’t go away.
I hurt and my dentist had nothing to say.
I told the oral surgeon this sore won’t quit.
It even gave me an earache. I was sick of it.
I was desperate for answers. I needed a solution.
But, for nine months I was living a delusion.
You ready for the DX, the diagnosis?
Stage 4 Oral Cancer….Holy Moses!

CHORUS:
If a canker sore doesn’t go away
It could be oral cancer, catch it early, don’t delay
Hoarse voice, lump in neck, persistent cough
It could be oral cancer. Don’t shrug it off.

You’d think this disease is for those who smoke and drink.
But look at me, I’m not the type you’d think
would get this disease. But, I made it through the hoop
I’m lucky to speak, so I need to give ya’ll the scoop.
If a sore doesn’t heal within two weeks,
Go to a dentist, oral surgeon and let them take a peek.
Go to a practice that has current education
in oral cancer so they make the right evaluation.

CHORUS:

I survived so that I could tell ya my story.
But, I’ll spare you all the details of my surgery so gory.
Keep pestering docs until the problem goes away
So you don’t go thru what I did – listen up – Hey!
Know the early signs when they check your tongue and more
The lips, cheeks, throat, palate, and the mouth floor.
Six-Step Screening tells you ‘what the heck is it?’
And what to expect at your next dental visit.

CHORUS:

With a reconstructed tongue and ONE neck muscle to boot,
I can still rap and even break dance, what a hoot!
Oh ya don’t believe me…Hey, guys turn up the beat.
This silver-haired woman can still turn on the heat.
(POP and BREAK dance)
Raise awareness. Shout it out.
Saving a life is what it’s all about.

Share this with someone you love.  You just might save a life!

August 20, 2017  

Did you know in dentistry, we are no longer concerned about preventing cavities and gum disease?  There is a third category that affects people, something known was “Occlusal Disease.”   Most people grind or clench their teeth, but it can go undetected for a long time because most people are unaware of it.   (The above photo shows how much of the teeth have worn away.)

It can start off as an innocent habit, over-training jaw muscles (absent-mindedly chewing gum too much), a family trait, caused by a misaligned bite, manifestation of stress, or just a perfect storm of many things!  Once the pattern is established, headaches, jaw tension or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems can arise.  For others, suprisingly, there are no obvious symptoms or even tooth pain.  

Over time, it’s a domino/snowball effect:  the bite eventually collapses and the teeth shift, get thin, wear down and fracture or fall apart.  Fortunately, it’s fixable (see the below photo, case in progress, Phase 1 complete)!  But we’d rather educate and prevent cumulative damage from setting in, in the first place.  

Here’s how art meets science in dentistry:  (from top to bottom in the below photo)   1) Smile Design concept created in wax simulation, known as the “Diagnostic Wax-up,” which is like a mock-up or blueprint to begin rebuilding a smile    2) Artistic crowns crafted and precisely fit onto a stone replica of the person’s mouth   3) New smile tried in and completed.  Plans are made when done, to protect the finished results with a specially designed nightguard.  

It takes careful evaluation, planning and execution to refresh and rebuild the smile to look natural.  Our goal is to create a smile so natural, that it just lets an individual’s personality shine so that he or she can’t help but smile more.   The best compliment is when a spouse or family member notices that “she laughs with her mouth open now” or “he doesn’t cover his mouth anymore.”   

January 23, 2017

We’re well into the New Year and all the resolutions for self-improvement.  In celebration of that…and Valentine’s Day coming up, check out our Teeth Whitening promotion when you follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Dr. Grace Hwang wrote an editorial about teeth whitening in the January issue of the SCV Magazine. “I Love Yellow Teeth” — said no one ever

NOVEMBER 19, 2016

IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING US ON FB OR INSTAGRAM, you may know that we are doing a fun campaign to promote flossing. Or, perhaps you saw us in the SCV Magazine where Dr. Grace wrote an editorial about the benefits of flossing. CLICK HERE – SCV MAG Nov  

We are giving away a $250 gift card to the Apple Store!

• Get a jump start on your holiday shopping.  
• This is easier than braving Black Friday crowds after Thanksgiving!

IT’S NOT TOO LATE – ONE MORE RAFFLE THIS MONTH!  

RULES ARE EASY:   If you would like a chance to win a free $250 Apple Gift card, all you have to do is post a photo to our FB page or Instagram of you flossing/taking care of your teeth #flosslikeaboss #sweettoothvalencia.  

So…

• Have some fun,
• Take care of your oral health
• DON’T BE SHY
• Extra raffle entries granted for silly/goofy/creative photos!  You could double/triple/quadruple your chances and be rewarded with extra entries for the contest.  
• Share contest info with your friends – 3 extra raffle entries per social media share or repost
• YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A PATIENT, all are welcome to enter this fun giveaway.  
• We will pick a winner by November 30th!   

November 5, 2016

Our Open House was a great success!  Thanks to everyone who came out.  You can check out our Live FB feed, posted by the SCV Magazine.  CLICK HERE – OUR FB PAGE   We celebrated with sangria, sweet and savory bites, a photo booth, RAFFLES to Blo Out Lounge, Salt Creek Grill, Color Me Mine Valencia, Teeth Whitening and Sonicare Bluetooth Toothbrush (thank you to local businesses who donated generously) and other giveaways.   

We also have a Yelp video now, so even if you weren’t able to make it to the open house, CLICK HERE for a virtual tour. 

October 26, 2016

You’re invited!  Come to our Open House on November 3rd from 4-6pm. There will be a savory bites, desserts, raffles, giveaways and a #flosslikeaboss photo booth onsite. 

We welcome you to visit, check us out and celebrate our Grand Opening.   Dr. Grace Hwang has been treating patients of all ages in Valencia and Santa Clarita for over 13 years.  She is celebrating the opening of her new practice location where she will provide general, family and cosmetic dentistry as well as Invisalign, Six Month Smiles – Clear Braces, Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) and Sleep Dentistry options.   The SCV Chamber of Commerce will be onsite for a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at 4:30pm.