Myo Oral Health LLC

Painful breastfeeding? Gassy baby? Get full evaluation of tongue function! Many times after providers assist breastfeeding moms, there is still no resolution and mom is suffering and stressed eventually giving up on breastfeeding. Please know not all providers are looking at function of the tongue specifically. This is key to resolving many latching challenges that affect the mom and baby dyad. Specialized providers are very beneficial in helping moms breast feed successfully, I support these providers and their profession. However as an Orofacial Myofunctional Specialist I evaluate specific functions of muscles around the face, cheeks, neck, that make a successful suck swallow breathe. This is critical to have a successful expe...

Have a Dental Nite Guard? How often are you replacing it? Why are you wearing it? Do you have flat teeth? Why do you grind? What is the root cause of grinding and wear on your teeth? What is happening at night that makes your jaw take on so much pressure? Have you asked your dentist why this is happening? Stress, probably was their answer. Did you know the location of where your tongue rests directly affects your grinding, clenching, and quality of sleep!

Lets look at where your tongue is most of the day. Where does your tongue rest comfortably in your mouth? Is it in the bottom of your mouth below your bottom teeth or resting between the teeth or up high filling the top of your mouth with your tongue? When the tongue rests up hi...

As a dental consumer/patient, what if your office isn't discussing your airway, then what? You begin the conversation and ask! 

This is part 2 from last weeks blog, See It Say It, focused on dental professionals having conversation with patients and asking questions. But what if you are a consumer and want to know about your airway and your hygienist isn't telling you about yours? That is great! Start the conversation with your hygienist. Airway currently is being discussed so chances are they have heard about it but are not comfortable yet discussing it. Many new topics were brought to my attention by patients who saw a commercial or read and article about the latest research. It got me looking into it more and following up...

It is all about airway! Oxygen is our lifeline, we can only last a few seconds without it. As a dental professional what do I see or ask me as a myofunctional specialist and I can tell you more! As a dental hygienist I would see stained teeth, demineralization, and rotated teeth (#g left lateral is shifted lingually-distal). Now as a myofunctional specialist I would see this and ask mom right away, how does this child sleep? Night terrors? Hard time getting to bed? Restless sleeper? Snoring? Wake up during night? Bed wetting? Is the child tired during the day? Lack of focus in school? Hyperactive or behavior outburst? Why would I ask all these questions, because look at the back of the mouth, the airway is blocked BIG TIME by en...

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is exercise based to strengthen and tone muscles that are weak. During a full evaluation clients function of their tongue and muscles around the lips and cheeks engage. Identifying areas that are in need of correction in order to eliminate compensatory habits that are unhealthy and unnatural affecting overall health. When there are muscles are hypotonic (low tone) from not being engaged how they are made,  compensation habits are developed. That is why mouth breathing gives you a long, flat face, cheeks need to be engaged, lips need to be sealed to define jaw line.

My program is developed based on your individual needs. The exercises may seem silly but each one builds on the next. Im...

Mouth breathing begins with congestion, to make you feel like you can breathe you open your mouth since your nose is blocked. However the more you allow mouth breathing to occur the more congestion you have. Your body needs to have oxygen to live. Your body will naturally unblock the nose, if you let yourself trust your body. Unless there is a physical blockage that needs ENT (ear nose throat) doctor your congestion will improve with a simple breathing exercise. 

Mouth breathing causes low tongue posture, malocclusion (bad bite in dental lingo), and alters growth and development of facial structure. 

Picture on the right is from Patrick McKeown book Oxygen Advantage. If you can retrain your facial muscles to close your lips,...

As dental hygienist treating Periodontal (Gum) Disease also includes identifying modifiable risk factors that change/improve periodontal therapy outcomes. We need to look at what is causing Dysfunction in Oral Biome. What is the root cause to this disruption in oral health and altering oral biome?  What does dry mouth, bad breath, and grinding have to do with periodontal disease? My colleague refers to this as Periodontal Medicine. Looking at all factors in health that will alter oral environment. The good news is this approach will not only improve outcomes of periodontal therapy but once identified and treated the results will be amazing. What Modifiable Risk Factors need to be addressed? First sign dysfunction oral biome...

Children who are tongue tied usually have parents that are tongue tied, genetics.  If your baby has tongue tied, both parents should be evaluated for function of their tongue by a myofunctional therapist, like myself. A tongue tie (ankloglossia is dental term) refers to a physical restriction of the tongue movement. Frenulum is tissue under the tongue that connects the tongue to floor of the mouth. Some people this frenulum is shorter and visible in others it is long enough and causes no problem with movements of the tongue. The tip of the tongue should be able to touch behind the front two top teeth when mouth is open wide. One physical identifier is when a heart shape tip appears on the tongue. There are many signs and symptom...

 So much of our health is affected by proper tongue position. Many of my clients have multiple signs, (listed above) and once the myofunctional disorder has been identified improvements on their overall health begins with treatment.  Once you begin to connect the dots of root cause many answers are found. As a myofunctional therapist with a background as dental hygienist there are so many signs we miss unless we have additional training in myofunctional therapy. For example a tongue with scalloped border in school we learn is is idiopathic and insignificant. However it is a sign the tongue 

is resting down low in the bottom of the mouth. This is not where we need the tongue to be. Instead the tongue resting po...

Many clients have regular dental cleanings but never told about their tongue tie. Cleaning teeth for 20 years as registered dental hygienist, myofunctional disorders was not on my radar. Now that I have additional mentoring and skilled at identifying myofunctional disorders it is all I see in clients and general public! Here are signs and symptoms of tongue tie for children, adults are similar.

 Tongue tie symptom children High palate Issues with speech- delay, lisp, difficulties pronouncing some words, speech therapy no improvement, 

Issues with eating - pocketing, textural or food aversions, “picky eater”, using finger to move food around while eating

Drinking issues- chokes, splutters or drools drinks ou...