PURPOSE: to evaluate and compare the swallowing of mouth and nose breathers through of speech-language and electromyography evaluation concerning the orbicularis oris muscles, and lower and upper lips. METHODS: 16 subjects aged 6:8 - 10:10 and divided on two groups participated in this study, one with mouth and another one with nose breathers. Both groups were submitted to clinical and surface electromyography evaluation. The speech-language evaluation contemplated the exam of the structures and functions of the stomatognathic system. The electromyography evaluation consisted of the captivation of the electrical activity at the orbicularis oris muscles, and lower and upper lips, during isometry and swallowing situations. In the clinical results were considered only the swallowing variables. Therefore, our study could observe the presence of labial and mentalis action and tongue projection, that were analyzed in a descriptive form. The statistical analysis of the electromyography results was done through the t test in order to compare the groups. The statistical considered significance was 5% (p<0.05). RESULTS: in the clinical evaluation it was verified that any of the nose breathers showed atypical swallowing characteristics while 7 (87.5%) of the mouth breathers showed labial action, 6 (75%) showed mentalis action and 6 (75%) showed tongue projection. In the electromyography evaluation, a higher muscular activity was verified, in the mouth breathers, when comparing to the nose breathers, in both lips, with a statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: in this study it was verified that mouth breathers showed significant alterations in the swallowing functions when compared to the nose breathers that were observed through a clinical examination and electromyography evaluation.
Deglutition; Electromyography; Facial Muscles; Mouth Breathing; Stomatognathic System
