Are facial workouts good for sleep, speech and oral health?

What is myofunctional therapy?

Orofacial myofunctional therapy is designed to help exercise the muscles in your face, mouth, and tongue. It's primarily used by speech pathologists - and in some cases, dental hygienists.

Janine Stiene, a speech pathologist from Long Island, USA says myofunctional therapy aims to retrain the facial muscles responsible for swallowing, chewing and speech. It's thought to correct the resting position of your tongue and lips to enhance nasal breathing and reduce unhealthy behaviours in your mouth.

What is myofunctional therapy used for?

Myofunctional therapy is often used to help alleviate issues that sometimes stem from unhealthy habits.

According to Dr Joyce Khang, a doctor of dental surgery from California, USA, such habits can include thumb-sucking, nail-biting, and poor chewing practices.

Dr Staci Whitman, a paediatric dental specialist from Oregon, USA says that for best results, it's usually used in conjunction with conventional orthodontic treatment.

Sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is when your throat collapses during sleep. It can be caused by having a narrow throat and weak muscles that can't keep it open while you're asleep - leading to blocked airways.

Symptoms of sleep apnoea include:

• Heavy snoring.

• Difficulty breathing while asleep.

• Disturbed sleep.

• Lack of energy during the day.

• Poor concentration.

• Mood swings.

• Headaches.

Dr Yana Pekarski, a doctor of dental surgery from Sacramento, USA explains: "Myofunctional therapy can help improve breathing and reduce the effects of sleep apnoea."

This is usually performed through a series of exercises designed to strengthen the muscles in your throat.

Tongue thrusting

Tongue thrusting is when a person pushes the tip of their tongue against or between their top teeth. This can disrupt their speech, ability to swallow, and it can also cause dental health issues - such as misaligned teeth or jaw.

Myofunctional therapy is often used to help correct tongue position through exercises to improve tongue posture and swallowing patterns.

Jaw or tooth alignment problems

By potentially easing habits like tongue thrusting - which can place too much strain on the teeth and jaws - myofunctional therapy could lower the chance of further dental misalignment.

Swallowing disorders

A swallowing disorder may mean you find it difficult or impossible to eat or drink certain foods or liquids. Myofunctional therapy is thought to help improve swallowing by retraining the muscles involved in the process.

Speech impediments

Since many of the muscles involved in swallowing and speech are connected, myofunctional therapy may be used to help treat speech disorders caused by weak muscle control.

Oral breathing

Some people develop a habit of breathing through their mouths. One potential reason for this is that their tongue is positioned in a way that makes it difficult to breathe through their nose.

Pekarski explains that children who breathe mostly through their mouths often have narrow palates because their tongues aren't expanding the roof of their mouths as they should.

"This could lead to crowded teeth and a narrow airway, which can make it hard to breathe through the nose," she says. "As a result, a child may continue to breathe through their mouth, which creates a continuous cycle. Myofunctional therapy can help break this cycle by retraining the muscles involved in breathing and swallowing."

What does a typical myofunctional therapy session involve?

A typical myofunctional therapy session involves a combination of exercises and guidance.

Whitman says: "A qualified myofunctional therapist will assess your oral habits and muscle function to create a personalised treatment plan. Exercises may include tongue placement, lip strengthening, and facial muscle relaxation. Your therapist will provide instruction and support throughout the process."

Stiene adds that myofunctional therapy aims to form new muscle habits for the tongue and lips, especially when swallowing, speaking and resting.

Myofunctional exercises

Some examples of myofunctional therapy exercises can include the following:

Pekarski says: "These exercises are tailored to each patient’s needs and are designed to be practised regularly at home."

Does myofunctional therapy work?

Some studies suggest myofunctional therapy may improve sleep quality and reduce the effects of sleep apnoea. However, there isn't much concrete evidence to confirm whether it works as well as conventional treatments for this condition. Myofunctional therapy is a lengthy form of treatment that requires regular practice, making it hard to study. More research is needed to fully understand its benefits and side effects. For now, proven treatments such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) can offer more effective relief for sleep apnoea symptoms.

Stiene says: "Myofunctional therapy is effective when patients have consciously and subconsciously mastered their exercises. This process involves breaking long-standing habits and establishing new ones which takes time and practice."

Pekarski adds that it can also be effective in correcting a variety of oral and facial muscle dysfunctions, leading to improvements in breathing, speech, sleep quality and jaw alignment.

"Myofunctional therapy is generally safe and non-invasive," she says. "Some patients might experience mild discomfort as they get used to new muscle exercises. However, this typically subsides as the muscles become stronger and more accustomed to proper function."

Can myofunctional therapy change your face?

According to our experts, myofunctional therapy can change the appearance of your face - particularly the jawline, lips, smile and chin.

Pekarski says some patients notice their face looks a little more balanced, as their muscle tone and function improves.

How long does myofunctional therapy take?

The average myofunctional therapy session lasts around 30-60 minutes.

Pekarski says the length of a treatment plan is typically between 6-12 months, depending on the severity of your condition and commitment to the exercises.

Can myofunctional therapy be covered by the NHS?

Myofunctional therapy is considered a complementary or alternative therapy. This means it's not recognised as an essential form of medical treatment in the UK, and therefore isn't covered by the NHS.

However, you can always ask your doctor for more information on programs that might cover it.

Stiene advises you do your research carefully when seeking a qualified myofunctional therapist. Be sure to confirm their credentials and training as their skills may differ, depending on whether they're a dental hygienist or speech pathologist.

Pekarski suggests you look for a qualified therapist trained and certified in dentistry, speech-language pathology or orthodontics.

"It's important to choose a myofunctional therapist with experience in treating the specific issues you're facing," she says. "Recommendations from your dentist or orthodontist can be a good starting point."