The human body is not some random collection of independent compartments. It is an interrelated system where a simple change one place can lead to a complex series of other changes in other places.

The body always looks to find and keep its balance, but doing so can start a chain of events with more problems. If equilibrium can simply be maintained in the first place, the new problems are not created.

The trachea is the breathing tube that allows air to enter the body and make its way to the lungs, where the blood can pick up oxygen and deliver it around the body, feeding the vital cells of the heart, the brain, the organs and the skin. The diameter of this tube affects how much air can pass into the lungs.

Although the diameter of your trachea is based on genetics and body size, it is also affected by the muscles that surround it. Tense muscles will constrict the trachea and reduce its diameter. By using neuromuscular dentistry to relax the muscles, the diameter of the trachea can be maintained.

Let’s look at this in detail.

The position of the lower jaw can close the airway, as can the stiffness of neck muscles. The lower jaw is the only movable part of the human body that can move in six dimensions, like an airplane. It can move front and back, side to side, up and down, as well as the additional movements of pitch, yaw and roll.

How the jaw is positioned for each individual movement depends on how the teeth meet. When the lower jaw is positioned more forward, it opens up the airway, increasing the diameter of the trachea. A larger diameter allows more oxygen to enter the lungs freely.

However, in some cases, the lower jaw is positioned too far back, due to a pattern of growth and development starting in childhood. When the lower jaw is positioned further back, the diameter of the trachea is smaller, and this allows less oxygen to enter the lungs.

While you sleep, the lower jaw may fall even further back, which decreases the size of the opening into the trachea even more. In some people, the opening may be totally closed off, so no oxygen enters the lungs. This condition, known as sleep apnea, means there is an increase in carbon dioxide.

People whose muscles, jaws and teeth are not working harmoniously have less flow of air. They also suffer from varying degrees of sleep apnea. Balancing their muscles, jaws and teeth so that they work in harmony leads to more air flow.

When a person is not in a neuromuscularly balanced position, the head sits more forward and there is more tension in the neck muscles as the person strains to hold the head up. Stiff neck muscles put pressure on the trachea and decrease the diameter of the trachea, thereby reducing the amount of oxygen that enters the lungs. These stiff neck muscles act like a tourniquet, cutting off vital oxygen to the lungs.

When the muscles of the head and neck are in neuromuscular balance and are working synergistically with the jaws and teeth, these muscles are less tense, as they are now supporting a head that is well balanced. Less tense muscles of the neck put less pressure on the trachea and keep it open wider, thus allowing more oxygen to enter the lungs.

Research is showing us that stiff neck muscles not only put pressure on the trachea, but also put pressure on the carotid arteries that run along on either side of the neck. The squeezing restricts the carotid arteries, which increases blood pressure, as the same amount of fluid (blood) is forced through a smaller diameter tube (artery).

A healthy body is of vital importance to the survival of any species. The supply of oxygen is essential to having a healthy body. In humans, the diameter of the trachea can be affected by the stiffness of the neck muscles as well as the position of the lower jaw.

We can maintain the diameter of the trachea by aligning the muscles, jaws and teeth in neuromuscular balance. By maintaining proper functioning of the respiratory system, you can improve the vitality of your life.

Dr. Sholina Kherani is a dentist with the Alberta Centre for Aesthetic Dentistry in Edmonton. Reach her with your questions and comments at drsholinakherani@shaw.ca.