Mouth breathing or having constantly open lips is a cause and/or signal of tongue thrust and low tongue rest posture. Long term mouth breathing compromises the natural process of breathing which relies on the nasal airway to cleanse and purify air for the pulmonary system.
Recent research has shown that myofunctional therapy may reduce the symptoms of sleep disordered breathing (such as snoring), and ameliorate mild to moderate OSA (obstructive sleep apnea). When functioning and used properly, the muscles of the tongue, throat, and face, can reduce obstruction to the airway.
An OMD may lead to an abnormal bite – the improper alignment between the upper and lower teeth known as malocclusion. This problem may lead to difficulties in biting, chewing, swallowing, and digesting of food.
A person with abnormal oral muscle patterns may suffer a lisp or have difficulty in articulating sounds. If muscles in the tongue and lips are incorrectly postured, this can prevent a person from forming sounds of normal speech.
Often the most obvious symptom of incorrect oral posture involves the muscles of the face. A dull, sluggish appearance and full, weak lips develop when muscles aren’t operating normally. This can give the chin a knobby appearance because these muscles are being overused.
The face can have a dull sluggish appearance when the muscles are not in proper balance. An incorrect swallow will purse and tighten the muscles of the cheeks, chin, and lips, causing a facial grimace
Thumb sucking and similar behaviors are adaptive patterns that emerge in the absence of normalized patterns within the orofacial complex. The regular presence of these adaptive movements can often result in a variety of disturbances. If left unchecked, numerous future issues can arise, from Malocclusion to Periodontal disorders, Orthodontic relapse, and changes associated with abnormal jaw growth and position
Tongue thrust is the act of pushing the tongue against or between the teeth when swallowing. The constant pressure of the tongue against or between the teeth will not allow the teeth to bite together. This is known as an open bite.
Restrictions to the movement of the tongue can lead to difficulties eating. In children it can present as picky or messy eating and even failure to latch when breast feeding. In adults, these habits can continue, leading to malnutrition issues with teeth and chewing.
Correct swallowing depends on a proper relationship between muscles of the face, mouth and throat. To swallow properly, muscles and nerves in the tongue, cheeks and throat must work together in harmony. When a person swallows normally, the tip of the tongue presses firmly against the roof of the mouth or hard palate, located slightly behind the front teeth. The tongue acts in concert with all the other muscles involved in swallowing. The hard palate, meanwhile, absorbs the force created by the tongue.
When breathing is difficult, or the tongue is restricted, other muscles can struggle to compensate which can cause tension to develop that can lead to back and neck pain, and even unhealthy posture. If left unchecked, these conditions can result in chronic pain etc.Improper oral muscle function may additionally lead to TMJ dysfunction, headaches, stomach distress (from swallowing air), airway obstruction, and other health challenges.
