Because facial hair shouldn’t be made of saliva and lip incompetence isn’t just a cosmetic issue.
Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room…
Or rather… the drool mustache on your client’s face.
You know the look, that long, shiny trail of saliva stretching from the corners of the mouth down toward the jawline.
It’s like a mustache… but wetter.
It’s easy to laugh it off, but here’s the deal: that drool line is actually a huge functional red flag.
Facial Hair Shouldn’t Be Made of Saliva
Sure, it gets a chuckle. But an open mouth posture with persistent drooling isn’t just about appearances, it’s a signal that the oral rest posture and lip seal aren’t doing their job.
And when lips can’t stay closed at rest, here’s what else could be happening under the surface:
- Mouth breathing instead of nasal breathing
- Weak or dysfunctional orofacial muscles
- Impaired tongue posture and swallowing patterns
- Delayed or disordered speech sound development
- Sleep-disordered breathing or restless sleep
- Messy feeding or overstuffing at mealtime
In other words: if the drool is making a fashion statement, the orofacial system may need a function check.
Why Is This Happening?
It’s not just “kids being kids.” That shiny chin trail could stem from:
- Low oral tone
- Anterior open bite or poor lip closure
- Tongue tie or restricted lingual function
- Habitual mouth breathing
- Lack of awareness or sensory feedback
- Poor oral rest posture (tongue low, lips open, jaw dropped)
Most of the time, these kids have already been in therapy but if the root causes aren’t addressed, symptoms like drooling keep showing up.
Why Myofunctional Therapy Works
Myofunctional therapy addresses the underlying dysfunction—not just the symptoms.
That means we’re not just teaching a child to “wipe their mouth more often.” We’re retraining the muscles, posture, and habits that:
- Keep the lips close
- Encourage the tongue to rest up
- And keep the saliva where it belongs
Think of it as upgrading from mop-and-bucket management… to fixing the leaky faucet.
So, What’s a Therapist (or Parent) to Do?
If your client’s saliva is stealing the spotlight, start asking functional questions:
- Are the lips closed at rest?
- Is nasal breathing the default?
- Where is the tongue resting?
- How’s sleep quality?
- Is feeding overly messy or inefficient?
If the answers raise eyebrows, it may be time to bring in a myofunctional lens and a little support.
Want Help Connecting the Dots?
The Myo Membership® is open and it’s your go-to resource for learning how to spot, assess, and treat these exact issues without overhauling your entire practice.
Join now and be the first to know when doors open.
Because no one wants to write “drool mustache” in a progress note ever again.
