Happy National Dental Hygienists Week and Oral Health Month! 🦷😷 Did you know that your oral health has significant impacts on your whole body? Let me know in the comments if you have a rockstar of a hygienist💥⬇️ #oralhygiene #dental #hygienus #dentalhygiene #oralhealthcare #oralhealthmonth #dentaloffice #cdho #odha #wholebodyhealth

Did you have braces? 🙋‍♀️ Crooked teeth are becoming more and more prevalent. In modern societies, jaws are shrinking (see earlier post on this!) which has led to an increase in breathing and sleeping difficulties. 60% of the adult face has grown by age 6 - if these are prime years for growth, why wouldn’t we intervene early to help promote and guide the development of the airway and jaws? Orthodontists and other Dental professionals are in prime position to screen, identify and treat these airway concerns. The ‘wait and see’ approach to orthodontics is dated and neglects the opportunity to create positive, sometimes life-changing results for young kids struggling with sleep and breathing issues. Why expand early? It optimizes the natural growth happening and will help create the space needed to house the adult teeth. Expansion later in life is also possible and should always be considered before extracting adult teeth. What if you could prevent the need for any appliance or braces? Form follows function. We cannot underestimate the impacts and forces that the muscles of the mouth have on early development. The forces created when you breathe, chew, swallow and where your tongue rests become the scaffolding of the mouth. When there is poor function, which could be related to low tone, tongue tie, mouth breathing, habits, etc., the structure adapts around that and the result can be crowded teeth, narrow jaws and airways. Not only can we see these outcomes clinically, but a wide range of symptoms can stem from these concerns, including breathing and sleeping difficulties. Which would you prefer? Traditional Dentistry & Orthodontics OR Airway Focused Reach out if you need help finding a support team near you!

What is Myofunctional Therapy? To put it simply, it’s physical therapy for your tongue and mouth to address improper tongue placement, swallowing and breathing. That’s right - there is a right and wrong way to use your tongue and breathe! The muscles of the face and mouth are used for some of the most important functions of our body - breathing speaking, chewing and swallowing! So when you look at it from a whole body approach, optimal functioning of these muscles is vital to our overall health! For some individuals, dysfunction is a result of physical factors such as tongue ties, lip ties, a deviated septum, thumb sucking, etc. that interferes with correct tongue function and breathing habits. For others, they just adapt to incorrect habits early on and never correct them. Regardless of the reason, there are numerous health effects that can develop from improper breathing and improper use of the oral and facial muscles if not addressed. Symptoms that arise can be across one’s lifespan. So, you might be wondering what correct breathing and tongue placement/use looks like?? 1️⃣Nasal breathing. There are very few circumstances where mouth breathing may be required, but it’s meant as a back up only! The only correct way to breathe is through the nose, with the lips together. This applies to day and night time. 2️⃣The tongue at rest should be against the roof of the mouth (palate) in its entirety. When the tongue rests against the palate it supports an open airway, supports our jaw and supports the natural alignment (or retention) of the teeth. This also applies to day and night time 3️⃣When swallowing, the tongue should push up against the roof of the mouth for stability and the body of the tongue then pushes up in a wave-like motion to move the food and liquids back. By no coincidence, the correct way to breathe, rest & use the tongue, reflects the 4 goals of Myofunctional Therapy! It’s important to note that Myofunctional Therapy is not a “cure all”, but is often one piece of the puzzle. As a Myofunctional Therapist, I work collaboratively to help my patients achieve the best outcomes! Come visit us @thewombguelph to see how we can help you today 🤍

Hi everyone! I thought it was time for a quick re-introduction 👋🏼 I’m Jessica, founder of Grey Bruce Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT). I have been a Dental Hygienist for almost 9 years now (time flies!) working in general practice. I operate Grey Bruce OMT in Hanover, ON, Canada nestled in Grey Bruce, but I also work virtually for patients who are not local. Most recently I have teamed up with @thewombguelph because I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with such an amazing, collaborative team <3 If you’re new to Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT), to put it simply, it is an exercises based program that works to restore the normal functions of the orofacial muscles. You can think of it as physical therapy for the oral and facial muscles including the mouth, face, lips and tongue. Think about how often you use the muscles of the face and mouth - these muscles affect how you breathe, speak, chew, swallow and more. With compensations and dysfunction, impacts can be seen throughout the entire body! My Myofunctional Therapy practice focuses on all ages. There is SO much value in treating children early on, but I also love helping teenagers and adults address the root cause of their symptoms because I’ve been there! As I continue to practice, my passion for Myofunctional therapy deepens and my goals become clearer! I have an ongoing list of courses and books to read so that I can help you! My mission is to build a network of like-minded professionals, increase the education and awareness around airway health and help as many people breathe and thrive as I can! I’m so glad you’re here and I hope that I can help you with your airway journey whether it be education, referrals or therapy! -Jess 💙

Many people enter a new year with new goals and new intentions. Are any of your goals geared towards improving your health? How about your airway health? As a Dental Hygienist and Myofunctional Therapist it’s been exciting to watch and be apart of the growing field of airway health! Not familiar? This is a broad term and encompasses breathing, oral rest posture, tongue ties, sleep, chewing and swallowing and so much more! I am a firm believer that we need to advocate for our own heath. That means if something you are told or recommended doesn’t sit well with you, challenge it. Do your research and find someone who listens to your concerns. Education is power! Like many things online, it can be difficult to navigate and find credible information to help you make a decision. So, I wanted to provide some great, reliable recommendations for the parents, adults and professionals looking for information on airway! You can also find support from other Myofunctional Therapists, Dentists, Speech Language Pathologists, ENT’s and more - if they are trained in this field. I hope you find this helpful or can share it with someone in need! 🤍 @mrjamesnestor @thekidssleeppuzzle @halliebulkin @askthedentist @doctor_staci @drmandeepjohal @dr.norazaghi #airways #airwayadvocate #myofunctionaltherapy #tonguetie #nasalbreathing #ortho #dentists #ent #speechpath #podcasts #educationispower #selfcare #momsofinstagram #newyear #healthjourney

Wishing you all a happy holiday season! ❄️☃️🎄 I hope you all are able to take some time to rest, relax, reflect on 2022 and of course spend time with family and loved ones 🤍

A big part of what we work on with myofunctional therapy is improving the tone, strength, function and resting posture of the tongue. This young patient has a grade 4 tongue tie - he can barely lift his tongue past the biting edge (incisal) of the lower front teeth, which has significantly impacted his oral function. You can also see the space between the lower front teeth which is from the extremely tight lingual frenum (tongue tie). So, anytime the tongue moves to facilitate chewing, swallowing, speaking, etc. it pulls at the space. BUT, after only 3 sessions of myofunctional therapy and diligent practicing, this guy is ready for his tongue release and ready to feel the full range of motion of his tongue! ⇾ Myofunctional therapy will continue after the release to retrain the full oral function. I can’t wait to see his end results! Stay tuned 😃 #tonguetied #myofunctionaltherapy #beforeandafter #progress #progresspic #hardwork #dentistsofinstagram #dentalhygienists #momsofinsta #airwayhealth #functionaltraining

There's a lot of information and research out there that now supports the assessment or diagnosis of a tongue tie and the vast ways it can impact a person - young or old. Has it got you thinking and concerned that you or your child may have a tongue tie? If so, you're in the right place! I'm here to tell you that once you have the right team in place, it's relatively simple to address. Step 1 - Get your tongue assessed! There are so many practitioners out there that underestimate tongue ties and have not updated their education to understand how to properly assess for one. Your best bet is it to reach out to a Myofunctional Therapist - if you don't have one locally there are many that practice virtually, or an Airway Focused/Functional Dentist, Orthodontist or ENT. Step 2 - Do your Myofunctional Therapy! Think of it as physiotherapy for the muscles of the mouth and tongue. It is an absolutely crucial step for a tongue release, as it strengthens the muscles before, improves would healing, prevents reattachment and allows the tongue to return to its full function. *It's also important to note that in some cases when the tongue tie is not that severe, myofunctional therapy can improve symptoms without a release being necessary - hence step 1! Step 3 - The Frenectomy When required, a frenectomy is a small incision at the bottom of the tongue to free it from the floor of the mouth. It’s usually done in-office by a dentist or ENT using a laser, scalpel, or sterile scissors without general anesthesia. Your Myofunctional Therapist will refer you or help you find an experienced provider in your area. Step 4 - Follow-up Care Be sure to continue your Myofunctional Therapy and any other recommendations before/after the release to ensure you get the best results! Often we will refer to an Osteopath or Chiropractor to assist in preparing for the release and improve your healing & function. Did you find this helpful? Are you ready to book a Myofunctional assessment? DM or reach me through my webpage! 🤍

🦷How can a visit to the dental office improve your health? Brush and floss - that’s what we preach. Now I don’t mean to dismiss the importance of brushing and flossing, BUT there’s so much more to oral health that we need to be talking about that can be life changing for so many. The mouth is the gateway to the body. This means that when you’re in for your routine dental appointment, the things we assess can give us clues to help understand what else may be going on in the body. So, here’s the conversations that we NEED to start NORMALIZING in the dental chair: 💤Sleep Quality (& quantity) - Dental professionals can identify signs of sleep disorders and if addressed early, can even prevent sleep apnea! 👃Breathing Habits - Identify mouth breathing and educate on the negative impacts it has on the oral cavity, as well as your overall health & wellbeing. 🍎Diet - Discussing diet choices can have a significant impact on dental decay, maintaining a balanced oral microbiome and encouraging healthy jaw growth 👅Orofacial Muscle Function - Educating patients on how the muscles of the mouth, face and upper airway should function and encouraging healthy habits can promote proper craniofacial growth and even prevent sleep disorders! Addressing Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD’s) can also help address the root cause of many chronic symptoms such as jaw pain, headaches, dental decay, periodontal diseases and even grinding. 🧠Oral Systemic Connection - bacteria in the mouth can enter the blood stream and be found in all parts of the body. There is even research that links the bacteria associated with periodontal disease to Cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease and even pregnancy complications! Everything is connected, and so to be truly healthy and thrive we must deeply understand the connection between our oral health and overall health. #oralhealth #myofunctionaltherapy #microbiome #oralmicrobiome #sleepbetter #mouthbreathing #diet #omt #oralsystemiclink #wholebodyhealth #functionalmedicine #alzheimers #chronicinflammation #functionaldentistry #dentalhygiene #dentalhealth #dentaltips #toothdecay #sleepdisorders #jawpain #kidshealth

☀️Off to enjoy some R&R time! Will be returning to the office Tuesday, August 2nd.

If you have jaw pain, you should have your tongue and breathing patterns assessed. Why?? Tongue tie >> Low tongue posture >> Mouth breathing >> Teeth grinding >> Jaw pain. *detours possible One of my favourite analogies for describing the importance of correct oral rest posture came from listening to a podcast by @ct_orofacial_myology & @healthy_heads_pt - Think of the jaw as a 3 legged stool. Each side of the jaw is a leg and your correct oral rest posture is the 3rd leg. The three work together to provide balance and support, but if you remove good oral rest posture then you loose that balance and support. 👅What is correct oral rest posture? Lips sealed, tongue resting fully in the palate, nasal breathing and a slight space between the teeth. There are a couple different reasons why one might not have good oral rest posture, so let’s explore a few of them! 1️⃣Tongue tie: this is a physical restriction under the tongue that prevents it from performing all of its functions. This includes resting in the roof of the mouth (palate). 2️⃣Low tongue posture: this could be because of a breathing issue, habit, low muscle tone, oral tie, or lack of space. 3️⃣Mouth breathing: this includes daytime or while sleeping. To mouth breathe, the lips separate and the tongue drops low to allow air in. Night bruxism, or teeth grinding is very common symptom of the above and puts a lot of stress on the jaw as well as the teeth. 📄Studies are showing that night bruxism is associated with disordered breathing during sleep. When the tongue is low, it blocks the airway and as a compensation the body thrusts the tongue and lower jaw forward to try and open the airway. Grinding occurs and as a result for some, jaw pain, headaches, neck tension and fatigue. As you can see, all of these factors are closely connected, but you do not have to have all of them to progress through this chain. A Myofunctional Therapist can help you understand your path to jaw pain, help improve it, or prevent you from reaching that point if you have some of these red flags 🚩 If you have any questions or would like to see how I can help with your jaw pain - reach out! I’d be happy to help 😊