Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy: A Parent's Guide

What is it?

Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is a program of simple exercises that retrain the muscles of the mouth, tongue, lips, and face. Let’s think of it like physiotherapy, but for the muscles your child uses to breathe, swallow, chew, and speak.

When these muscles develop unhelpful habits, they create constant pressure on your child's developing teeth and jaw. OMT corrects those habits before they cause lasting changes.

What to look for in your child

Breathing and mouth habits

• Mouth hanging open at rest (watching TV, at the dinner table, doing homework)

• Breathing through the mouth, especially during sleep

• Snoring, restless sleep, or seeming tired despite a full night's rest

• Dry or chapped lips

Eating and swallowing

• Chewing with the mouth open or food falling out

• Taking a long time to finish meals

• Tongue visibly pushing forward when swallowing

• Needing water to wash down food

Teeth and jaw

• Crowded or gapped front teeth

• Front teeth that don't meet when the mouth is closed

• Teeth grinding or jaw clenching

Speech

• A lisp on "s" and "z" sounds

• Tongue coming forward between the teeth during speech

Why does it happen?

Common contributors include tongue tie, thumb sucking, allergies or enlarged tonsils and adenoids that block nasal breathing. Often it starts with something simple like a blocked nose, your child learns to breathe through their mouth, the habit sticks, and over time it affects how the jaw and teeth develop.

Why does this all matter?

The signs above are easy to dismiss as small things or phases, but left unaddressed they can have a real impact on your child's health and development.

• Sleep and energy: Mouth breathing and incorrect tongue posture make the airway less stable during sleep, leading to snoring, restless nights, and poor-quality rest. Children who aren't sleeping well often show up as tired, unfocused, or unsettled and the connection to breathing is frequently missed.

• Teeth and jaw development: The tongue resting in the correct position gently widens the palate as your child grows. Without that, the palate can narrow, leading to crowded teeth, an open bite, and changes to the shape of the jaw and face over time.

• Speech: The position of the tongue directly affects how clearly your child speaks. A tongue that pushes forward during swallowing often does the same during speech, contributing to lisps and other articulation difficulties that can affect your child's confidence.

• Orthodontic results: If your child has had or is heading toward braces, the underlying muscle habits are just as important as straightening the teeth. Without addressing them, teeth are likely to drift back after treatment.

• Overall wellbeing: A child who is breathing well, sleeping properly, and chewing efficiently is simply better placed to grow, learn, and thrive. Many parents are surprised at the broader improvements they notice once these habits are corrected.

The earlier these patterns are identified, the easier they are to correct, particularly in younger children whose jaws and palates are still developing.

How does OMT help?

A therapist designs a personalised program of daily exercises, usually 5–15 minutes targeting your child's specific habits. This typically covers correct tongue resting posture, nasal breathing, proper swallowing, and lip strength. Consistency is what makes the difference; the goal is to build new habits that become automatic over time.

Who should you talk to?

Raise it with your GP, paediatrician, speech pathologist, and ask about a referral to a credentialed orofacial myofunctional therapist. If your child has enlarged tonsils, adenoids, or a tongue tie, these may need to be assessed alongside OMT

The bottom line

If your child regularly breathes through their mouth, sits with their lips apart, snores, has a tongue tie, it's worth looking into. OMT is non-invasive, evidence-based, and most effective the earlier it starts.

Annalisa Naamo

Speech Pathologist and Orofacial Myofunction Therapist