Top Myofunctional Therapy Exercises at Home
Did you know that you're constantly breathing with your mouth, letting your tongue fall and in many cases you can not even pronounce certain sounds? These small signs might be harmless, but they might also indicate that your oral muscles aren’t firing the way they should be. That’s where myofunctional therapy comes in — a mild and effective method to help get your face and tongue to do their job and to finally get your mouth to work correctly.
You don’t require an expensive system or daily clinic visits to begin to see improvement. In reality, many orofacial therapy strategies can be completed in the comfort of your home. The secret is simple: It’s about being consistent in doing what works. Whether you have mouth breathing, snoring, or speech issues, or you simply want to build up the oral musculature, starting with some exercises is a great idea.
We’ll take a tour of what myofunctional therapy is all about — and how easy home exercises can have a huge impact on your daily life.
What Is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy centers on strengthening and retraining the muscles of your face and mouth. Such exercises are commonly used to retrain habits such as tongue thrusting, mouth breathing or poor swallowing. They can also improve posture, facilitate better sleep and even assist with speech clarity.
Kind of like a workout — but for your mouth and face. Warming up and stretching for a few minutes before a workout is good for your muscles, and so too are these exercises for your oral muscles, allowing them to work in the way that is intended.
Why These Exercises Matter
Most people do not understand how intricately linked the tongue and facial muscles are to breathing, to sleeping, even to how your teeth grow and remain in place. If your tongue doesn’t rest in the right place, or if you breathe through your mouth much of the time, then it potentially could be problematic over time — especially in children who are growing.
Performing myofunctional therapy exercises at home is a simple and safe way to promote good overall oral health, decrease the likelihood of future problems, and take control of your own body.
Starting at Home: What You Need to Know
You don’t need any special tools to get started. All you require is a quiet space, a mirror and a few minutes a day. The exercises are not vigorous — you’ll be doing slow, controlled movements that require awareness. Your aim is to strengthen your tongue, lips and cheeks so that they work together in a natural way.
The best part? These are safe exercises for all! If you’re working with a speech therapist, it’s always smart to ask her which ones are best for your needs, and if a dentist is involved, definitely ask him as well — but even just starting with these general techniques can go a long way.
How These Exercises Help
These movements are designed to improve:
Keeping one’s mouth closed (and breathing through the nose)
Tongue position (resting on the palate)
Proper swallowing technique
Lip seal and strength
Facial muscle tone
The people who do these exercises every day will often find that they sleep better, that they speak more clearly, that they have less tension in their jaw and their face,” he said. In fact, even if you do something as basic as maintaining a closed mouth posture all day, you will be improving your dental and airway health from a long-term perspective.
Tips for Success
New things take time to get going. Here are some ways you can stay on track:
Practice daily: Just as you brush your teeth, make these exercises part of your daily practice. Even 5 to 10 minutes a day can be a path to change.
Use a mirror: You can watch your own movement to see if you’re doing it correctly.
Stay relaxed: No balancing acts. These movements should be easy, gentle, and painless.
Track your progress: A simple notebook or phone reminder can help you stick with it.
When to See a Professional
Working out at home is a good place to start, but sometimes it’s not enough. If you or your child has difficulty breathing through the nose, snores regularly, has a tongue tie, speech is challenging or labored breathing during sleep, it’s prudent to speak with a trained professional. You can even receive a personalised plan that’s tailored to your specific situation and achieve faster, better results with the help of a certified orofacial therapist or speech-language pathologist.
Final Thoughts
Oral muscle manage may not be at the top of your mind, but it can have a major impact on your overall health. The good news is, you can teach your tongue and face to work better through a few simple exercises each day—exercises that not only improve your speech but help you feel better too.
Orofacial therapy can be simple. You can do it step- by-step from the comfort of your home. Your mouth will be happy — and so will your sleep, speech, and smile.
