The influence of metabolic acidosis, airway resistance and vagotomy on the development of mouth breathing

Son, Woo Sung; Yang, Won Sik

Abstract

Respiration is one of the most important functions which are carried out in stomatognathic system. When nasal orifice is obstructed or the resistance of upper airway is increased mouth breathing is initiated. Mouth breathing is regarded as an important etiologic factor of dentofacial anomalies. This experiment was performed to observe the influences of metabolic acidosis, tracheal resistance and vagotomy on mouth breathing. After rabbits were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital, a pair of wire electrode was inserted into mylohyoid muscle, anterior belly of digastric muscle and dilator naris muscle to record EMG activity. Femoral vein and artery were cannulated for infusion of 0.3N HCl and collection of blood sample to determine the blood pH, and tracheal intubation was done to control airway resistance. Mouth breathing was induced by metabolic acidosis. Increase of the airway resistance through tracheal cannula intensified the activity of dilator naris, mylohyoid and digastric muscle. The higher the resistance, the larger the EMG amplitude. After bilateral vagotomy, respiratory volume and inspiatory time were increased and the activities of dilator naris, mylohyoid and digastric muscle were strengthened. It was concluded that the muscle activity related to mouth breathing was induced by metabolic acidosis and increase of tracheal tube resistance.