Skow Sleep & Breathing

05/02/2026

I’ve had 3 requests just last week for providing some continuing education. As a PACE provider, I’d like to oblige with some classes on Zoom.

Let’s start with a Q and A on zoom. Date TBA.

Please comment below if you’d like to attend and also what you’d like me to talk about.
- Dr. Kristin Skow Merth
Affiliate, The Breathe Institute

04/26/2026

Mouth breathing doesn’t just affect your teeth and airway—it can ripple all the way down to your gut. Here’s how those systems connect:

1. Less nitric oxide and poorer digestion: When you breathe through your nose, your body produces nitric oxide, a molecule that helps improve blood flow and oxygen delivery. With chronic mouth breathing, nitric oxide levels drop, which can reduce circulation to digestive organs and subtly impair digestion and nutrient absorption.

2. Altered oral microbiome and downstream gut impact: Mouth breathing dries out the mouth, reducing saliva. Saliva isn’t just for lubrication—it helps control harmful bacteria. A dry mouth allows more pathogenic bacteria to thrive, which you then swallow. That can disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome, contributing to issues like bloating or inflammation.

3. Increased risk of inflammation: Chronic mouth breathing is associated with airway stress and sometimes poor sleep. This can increase systemic inflammation, which is linked to gut problems like irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive sensitivities.

4. Poor sleep and gut dysfunction: Mouth breathing often goes hand-in-hand with sleep-disordered breathing (like snoring or mild airway restriction). Poor sleep affects hormones that regulate digestion, gut motility, and even hunger signals—disrupting the gut’s normal rhythm.

5. Reduced stomach acid efficiency: Proper breathing supports the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in your body. Chronic mouth breathing can shift this balance, which may interfere with stomach acid production—making it harder to break down food and absorb nutrients.

04/19/2026

Introducing red light therapy!
One of the first to receive the therapy was Dr. Skow’s Labrador, Stella. Stella was having shoulder trouble, and the red light clearly accelerated her healing! Stella loved it; she will otherwise never sit still with a ball in her mouth.

This medical grade red light helps to loosen fascia, decrease pain/inflammation, and promote healing in a holistic way.

Coupled with Myofunctional therapy and oral tie release, patients can not only sleep better but experience freedom from pain, inflammation, and tension. Call us today at Spring Valley Dentistry.

05/31/2025

Nikole and I had the opportunity to attend a continuing education course with the amazing Dr. Skow, focused on airway health, tongue-tie, myofunctional therapy, and treatment strategies. It was an incredibly informative and inspiring experience!

03/25/2025

Bed wetting is a symptom Dr. Skow successfully treats on a routine basis.
Parents sometimes say/ think “my child just sleeps so hard that they wet the bed.”

No, they sleep through being suffocated by their own airway, and bed wetting is a common symptom.

Did you know that bedwetting (enuresis) in children can be linked to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)? Research shows that kids with OSA are more likely to experience bedwetting due to disrupted sleep patterns and increased arousal thresholds. Enlarged tonsils, adenoids, and airway obstruction contribute to both conditions, making it harder for the brain to respond to a full bladder during sleep.

When a child stops breathing during sleep, oxygen levels drop, and the body goes into “fight-or-flight” mode. This puts extra stress on the heart, which then releases a hormone (ANP) that tells the kidneys to get rid of more fluid—leading to increased nighttime urination.

If your child struggles with bedwetting and also snores or breathes through their mouth at night, it may be time to evaluate their airway health!

Visit www.thebreatheinstitute.com for more information and/or to schedule a consultation.

02/08/2025

Thank you, Faith, for your review. You make such excellent points.
Faith’s baby had been waking every 30 minutes at 9 months old and was generally fussy and discontent. They had done all the other therapies I recommend before tongue release, so the release (this one with sutures) changed the dynamic of their family. Baby girl nursed better even while she was still numb. And, she’s content and sleeping. Tongue release is not a “fad”, it’s the real deal in the hands of a provider who knows what they are doing.

01/19/2025

I was honored to attend this very classy event in St. Louis with my daughter Lauren. (Roseman School of Dental Medicine DMD class of ‘26) We got to see some speakers who have been on my bucket list to see! 🤩 I’ll be returning to the office with newfound knowledge that I’m eager to apply. Special thanks to Dr. Movahed and Dr. Moshiri for hosting this groundbreaking collaborative event. Good times were had and new friends were made.

01/11/2025

01/09/2025

We appreciate our patients’ kind feedback!

12/20/2024

Dr. Skow got some exciting news this week! She is officially approved as a continuing education provider! In regard to the subject of tongue posture and craniofacial development, tongue/ lip ties, and treatment for all ages, she will be providing an educational platform. Anyone in the field who takes her classes will obtain CE credits. We at Skow Sleep have worked hard for this!!