Good example or bad example? Do you remember the character Napoleon Dynamite (google him if you don’t get the reference and watch a few clips)? The movie was based on a storyline where Napoleon helped his friend win class president and also was entangled with weird family dynamics. But, that’s not my point- Napoleon Dynamite never closed his mouth- for most of the movie.
He was a massive mouth breather. It definitely added to the story line- and is an example of what not to do. Unfortunately, when I’m in a crowd of people, it’s not hard to spot many who are mouth breathing. What the Napoleon Dynamite is happening to our children- and adults for that matter? SO many are breathing through their mouths, even from birth! Did you know babies are obligatory nasal breathers so it is NOT normal for a baby to be breathing through their mouth?
So what’s the big deal if we are all little Napoleon Dynamite’s breathing through our mouths? Why does it even matter…. Proper oral resting posture is more important than we have been led to believe. Most assume it only has to do with whether we want to eat the occasional bug or two. However, the posture of our mouth sets the tone for our airway, how big it is, and how much oxygen we are getting. Basically sets the tone for life- because we can’t live without oxygen. The way the tongue, lips, and jaw rest affects the way we breathe and facial development.
Our tongue should be up on our palate any time we are not speaking or eating. When we keep our tongue up on the roof of our mouth, it aids proper nasal breathing and supports healthy jaw development. Our lips should be gently closed, not clenched tightly or slightly open. We should not see strain in the lips, too much strain and it could impact the jaw muscles (think TMJD or add to the amount of lip wrinkles we have as we age…) Keeping them closed helps to promote nasal breathing which is key for better health and oxygen flow. Teeth should be slightly apart- again not clenched together, not grinding from tons of tension, but slightly apart and relaxed.
Breathing through our nose is essential for filtering the air we inhale, keeping our mouths moist, and supporting correct oral posture. Correct oral posture should be used day and night. Even if you only have your mouth open at night- this is still an issue and can impact your airway tremendously as well as jaw growth and development. If you are concerned, we are concerned. Contact a myofunctional therapist today! Are you an OT/SLP/RDH/PT ready to take the plunge into the world of myofunctional therapy? The Myo Method® is the perfect place to dive in and prepare yourself to see your very first myofunctional therapy client!
