Why Mouth Breathing in Children Deserves More Attention From Parents with Dr. Eric Armakan

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• Learn how the way children breathe, swallow, and position their tongues can influence the development of their jaws and facial structures.
• Uncover how early feeding difficulties in newborns may provide important clues about oral function and development.
• Find out why healthy teeth are only one part of pediatric dentistry and how airway health, sleep, and breathing fit into a more comprehensive approach.
• Explore how restricted tongue movement and lip ties can affect breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and oral development during childhood.
• Understand what pediatric dentists look for when evaluating a child's mouth, including tongue position, jaw growth, and breathing patterns.
• Get a clearer understanding of how CO2 laser frenectomy procedures work and why treatment approaches differ between infants and older children.
• Hear how Dr. Armakan works with lactation consultants, speech therapists, and other healthcare professionals to support children's oral function.
• Gain insight into why identifying breathing and oral development concerns early may help support healthier growth and sleep as children mature.
• Discover how preventive, airway focused pediatric dentistry is changing the conversation about children's health beyond routine dental checkups.

In this episode…

Could something as simple as the way your child breathes be affecting more than you realize? Most parents associate pediatric dentistry with cavities, cleanings, and healthy smiles, but the development of a child's mouth can also play a role in breathing, sleep, and facial growth. Mouth breathing and restricted oral function may be worth evaluating long before more noticeable concerns develop. So how can parents recognize when their child's breathing and oral development deserve closer attention?

Dr. Eric Armakan explains how early feeding patterns, tongue positioning, and jaw development are connected, and why pediatric dental evaluations should consider more than just teeth. He explores the differences between tongue ties and lip ties, including how restrictions can interfere with an infant's ability to latch and feed effectively. He also shares how his practice approaches frenectomy procedures using CO2 laser technology, why treatment differs between newborns and older children, and how collaboration with lactation consultants and other specialists supports recovery. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of assessing each child's function before determining whether intervention is necessary.



In this episode of Beauty Talk, host Daniel Gouw interviews Dr. Eric Armakan, a board certified pediatric dentist and founder of Breathe First Pediatric Dentistry in Arlington, Virginia. With advanced training in tongue and lip tie treatment and pediatric airway focused care, Dr. Armakan takes a whole health approach to children's oral development. He discusses the relationship between mouth breathing, airway development, feeding difficulties, facial growth, and sleep, while explaining why early evaluation and preventive care are central to his philosophy. Tune in to learn how to make informed choices about your health, beauty, and well-being.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Daniel Gouw on LinkedIn
• EDNA Digital Marketing  
• Breathe First Pediatric Dentistry Website
• Breathe First Pediatric Dentistry on Instagram

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