The Basics of OMT: What You Need to Know

Sleep + Health Team
Mar 25
3 min read

Myofunctional Therapy: The Secret Weapon Your Mouth Didn’t Know It Needed

Ever feel like your tongue has a mind of its own? Maybe you snore loud enough to wake the neighbors, or you constantly battle jaw pain that makes chewing feel like a full-contact sport. Well, friend, you might just be the perfect candidate for myofunctional therapy. Never heard of it? Don’t worry—you’re not alone. But by the time you finish this post, you’ll wonder why it’s not the talk of every dinner party (okay, maybe just the ones with dentists, sleep specialists and us).

What is Myofunctional Therapy?

Let’s break it down. Myofunctional therapy is like physical therapy—but for your mouth, tongue, and face. It’s a series of exercises designed to improve the way you breathe, chew, swallow, and even speak. Basically, if your tongue has been slacking on the job, myofunctional therapy whips it into shape.

Think of it like boot camp for your orofacial muscles (fancy term for the muscles in your mouth and face). If your tongue has been lounging too far forward, pressing against your teeth, or taking the day off when it should be helping you breathe properly, this therapy retrains it to do what it was made to do.

Why Do You Need It?

Here’s where it gets interesting. Many people go their whole lives without realizing their tongue is causing serious problems. Maybe you:

Snore like a chainsaw (sorry, spouse).
Have sleep apnea and struggle to breathe at night.
Experience frequent headaches or jaw pain (hello, TMJ!).
Notice speech issues like lisping or difficulty pronouncing certain words.
Have difficulty swallowing or always feel like food gets stuck.
Push your tongue against your teeth, causing orthodontic issues (that means those expensive braces might not stay put!).

If you nodded along to any of these, your mouth might need a little reprogramming. And let’s be honest—if something as simple as tongue exercises could help you sleep better, speak more clearly, and stop sounding like a buzzsaw at night, why wouldn’t you give it a shot?

What Can Myofunctional Therapy Do For You?

Here’s where the magic happens. Myofunctional therapy can:

Improve Breathing: Many people unknowingly breathe through their mouths, which can cause all sorts of issues, from dry mouth to poor oxygen intake. Proper tongue posture encourages nasal breathing, which is way healthier.
Reduce Snoring & Sleep Apnea: Strengthening your airway muscles can help keep that airway open at night—aka, less snoring, better sleep.
Enhance Speech Clarity: If your tongue’s been throwing off your pronunciation, these exercises can help you sound crisp and clear.
Relieve Jaw Pain & Tension: Proper tongue posture can ease strain on your jaw, reducing TMJ discomfort.
Support Orthodontic Work: Braces are great, but if your tongue keeps pushing on your teeth, they’ll shift right back out of place. Myofunctional therapy helps make those straight pearly whites stay put.
Make You Look and Feel Better: Correct tongue posture can even enhance facial structure. Yes, you heard that right—your tongue might just be the secret to a more sculpted jawline.

Fun (and Slightly Shocking) Facts About Myofunctional Therapy

Your tongue should rest on the roof of your mouth, not just hang out in the bottom like a lazy slug.
Mouth breathing can actually change your face shape over time (Google ‘mouth breather face’—it’s real!).
Many kids with speech delays, dental issues, or ADHD symptoms actually have underlying myofunctional disorders.
Babies can have tongue-tie, which affects feeding, speech, and breathing. Myofunctional therapy can help after a release procedure.
Even top athletes use it to improve oxygen intake and endurance.

Conclusion

Myofunctional therapy might not be the hottest topic at brunch, but it should be. Your tongue, breathing, and facial muscles all work together to keep you healthy—and when they’re out of sync, your whole body feels it. The good news? With the right exercises and a little effort, you can retrain your mouth to work the way it was designed to.

So if you’re tired of snoring, jaw pain, speech troubles, or just want to breathe and sleep better, it might be time to put your tongue to work. Who knew a few simple exercises could change your life?

Go on, give your tongue a workout—it’s been slacking long enough!

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