From Airway to Attention: How Mouth Breathing Disrupts Sleep and Influences Behavior and Development
Kelley Richardson, Consultant + Author

This presentation will explore how chronic mouth breathing disrupts sleep architecture, leading to fragmented sleep and daytime behavior challenges that often resemble ADHD. Additionally, it will review supporting research on sleep quality and behavioral outcomes, discuss practical breathing exercises, and empower dental teams and caregivers to recognize and address airway related sleep disruption for restorative sleep and healthier development.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Explain the relationship between breathing patterns and sleep quality

Identify how disrupted sleep can mimic ADHD-like behavior

Recognize the dental and facial signs of chronic mouth breathing

Kelley brings over 25 years of experience in dentistry, including 10 years as a Senior Dental Product Specialist in restorative products and 15 years as an Account Executive in the aligner and occlusion space. She leads an interdisciplinary Airway Study Club and, inspired by her role as Airway Curriculum Liaison at the Dawson Academy, created The Very Stuffy Nose children’s book to raise awareness about the hidden impact of mouth breathing and the importance of nasal breathing in children.

1 CE credit available to AAPMD members