What's up with my mouth?

May 22, 2007 8:03 AM

Once in a while after mild to strenuous exercise, I can suck air through a little spot in the roof of my mouth (kinda just behind the "aveolar ridge"). There aren't any obvious holes up there. This happens fairly rarely. It's not particularly uncomfortable. What's going on here? Is this normal? Does this happen to anyone else?

Please don't make fun. :(

posted by thirteenkiller to Health & Fitness (14 answers total)

Sounds like you have a cleft palate. It isn't normal, but it doesn't sound like it inconveniences you in any way.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 8:16 AM on May 22, 2007

I think this is all in your mind. Does it feel as though your ears have popped as well? If you really did have a hole in the roof of your mouth (there was a patient at my dentist office in SF who suffered from such a thing due to a botched procedure) you would face many other maladies including a loss of balance and trouble with infections. I would guess that this is a feeling, not an actual physical issue.
posted by parmanparman at 8:18 AM on May 22, 2007 [1 favorite]

you know, looking at your picture on your profile page, I feel I must rescind my comments and go with Steven C. Den Beste. It does look like you have a cleft palate. Have you considered going to a plastic surgeon to have the hole covered over? From what I recall about the patient I knew who had it, it was a simple outpatient procedure.
posted by parmanparman at 8:21 AM on May 22, 2007 [1 favorite]

i've had this for years. only notice it when my sinuses are really clear. never gave me any problems.
posted by lester at 8:24 AM on May 22, 2007

Response by poster: Hey wait, that's not a representative photograph! I look normal, seriously!
posted by thirteenkiller at 8:25 AM on May 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: (straight on photo of me without funny expression, for the record)
posted by thirteenkiller at 8:31 AM on May 22, 2007

Hey, I was wondering if I was the only one with this!... I'm not sure that I fully understand the location of this hole (I'm not a native speaker), but mine is located close to spot 13 in this picture. I can suck air through it when the weather is very cold or when I'm very stressed out. I believe that this is when my palate constricts in some way.

And no, this is not in my mind, parmanparman...
posted by V-Turn at 8:43 AM on May 22, 2007

I retracted that statement, V-Turn.
posted by parmanparman at 8:47 AM on May 22, 2007

I used to do something similar when I played the clarinet in high school. After a particularly long practice, I would sometimes have air "leak" and instead going through my mouth and thus the clarinet, would come out my nose. Best I could tell, the soft palate - which closes off the nasal cavity from the throat - was so tired that it could not form a tight seal with the back of my throat.
posted by notsnot at 8:48 AM on May 22, 2007

I've occasionally felt 2 little spots on the roof of my mouth that seem to be connected to my sinuses in some way. Usually I only notice them when I have a bad cold or allergies, and they get irritated. I imagine I might be able to get a little air through there in the unlikely situation that my sinuses were completely clear.

Thirteenkiller, looking at your straight on photo, I can't help but be struck by your uncanny resembalance to myself, as well as my your striking good looks. I wonder if this is something peculiar to a particular face shape.
posted by yohko at 9:59 AM on May 22, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks to everyone who responded. I don't feel so alone now in my head sucking. From comments here and in other contexts, it seems like a few people know exactly what I'm talking about and the rest just think I'm totally bizarre or crazy.

People keep asking about the sandwich and it keeps getting deleted because it's off-topic, so I hesitated in responding... but clearly the Metafilter community demands an answer. It's a reuben from Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis, as recommended here. Yes, it really is that good. It's good. Yes. Oh man.
posted by thirteenkiller at 12:59 PM on May 22, 2007

Yeah, that happens to me, too, but I've never thought about it.

I can only do it a wee bit right now; I'll try next time I work out, or get stressed. I currently live in the tropics, so the cold theory will have to wait to be tested.

I have a round face, fwiw.
posted by ibmcginty at 1:38 PM on May 22, 2007

/off topic/

That's one phenomenal lookin' sandwich. Thanks for the tip. Next time I'm in Indianapolis, I'm calling a meetup at Shapiros.

/off topic/
posted by grateful at 5:49 PM on May 22, 2007

This is perfectly normal. I have had this on occasion in the past, when conditions are right. It is anatomically correct, there is a name for the passage I can't recall. When I do it, it squeeks! Can't imagine it working in the opposite direction, but anything is possible. I used to also be able to blow air out of my tear duct, by pinching my nose. Tickles the eyeballs!
posted by Goofyy at 11:53 PM on May 22, 2007