Love at First Bite<3: Why Oral Habits Matter More Than You Think
February feels like the month of love, but what if we talked about loving your own and your child’s airway, feeding skills, and facial development too?
When my clients think about oral habits, they usually picture thumb sucking or picky eating. These aren’t wrong, but oral habits go much deeper than that. How we & how our children breathe, rest our tongues, chew our food, and swallow ALL play a role in how our faces grow, how well we sleep, and how efficiently we eat.
That’s where Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT, myo) and feeding therapy come in.
What Are Oral Habits, Really?
Oral habits aren’t just “bad habits.” They’re patterns, mostly subconscious, that develop early and stick around unless we address them.
Some common habits include:
Mouth breathing
Open-mouth posture at rest
Low or forward tongue posture
Tongue thrust during swallowing
Chewing with lips instead of the tongue and/or jaw
Over-reliance on soft foods (e.g. chicken nuggets, mac&cheese, pouches)
Nail biting, lip biting, or teeth grinding
Individually, these all may seem small. When all together, they can impact sleep quality, dental alignment, facial growth, speech clarity, and feeding confidence.
The Connection Between Feeding and Myo
Feeding isn’t just about what we eat – it’s about how we eat.
Efficient feeding requires:
Stable jaw support
A tongue that can lateralize, elevate, and cup food/liquids
Lips that seal without overworking
Coordinated breathing while chewing and swallowing
When any ONE of these key components are not functioning correctly, we may:
Gag or overstuff our food
Take very large or very tiny bites
Chew forever
Prefer soft or crunchy “safe” foods
Avoid mixed textures
Fatigue easily at meals
OMT (myo) helps you retrain these muscles so feeding, drinking, and communicating become easier, safer, and more enjoyable.
Why Early Support Matters
February is a great reminder that early support is an act of love.
When oral function is supported early:
Faces grow with better balance and symmetry
Airway stay more open
Sleep improves
Feeding becomes less stressful
Speech develops with fewer compensations
Orthodontic needs may be reduced later in life.
Signs You or Your Child Might Benefit from Myo or Feeding Therapy
You don’t need a diagnosis to trust your instincts. Some gentle red flags include:
Snoring or mouth breathing
Restless sleep or bedwetting
Picky eating or food refusal
Messy eating beyond toddler years
Speech sounds that don’t improve with practice
Jaw clicking, clenching, or grinding
Frequent choking, gagging, or coughing with meals
If you’ve ever through “hm, something feels off, but I can’t quite explain it,” that’s worth listening to!
A Small February Challenge For Families
This month, try this simple habit:
🡪 Watch yourself or your child at rest.
Ask yourself:
Are my/their lips closed?
Is my/their tongue resting up on the roof of my/their mouth?
Am I/they breathing quietly through their nose?
Awareness is the first step – and sometimes the most powerful one!
Supporting oral function is one of the most loving things you can do for your child’s long-term health.
If you have questions about myofunctional therapy, feeding therapy, or whether you/your child might benefit from support, I’m always happy to help.