The Truth About Sleep Apnea: How Oral Function Plays a Role

When most people hear “sleep apnea,” they think of loud snoring or the need for a CPAP machine. But sleep apnea is much more than that—it’s a condition where breathing stops and starts throughout the night, preventing the body from getting deep, restorative sleep. What many don’t realize is that oral function plays a major role in sleep apnea, and addressing the root cause can lead to better long-term outcomes.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder where the airway becomes blocked during sleep. These pauses in breathing cause restless nights, daytime fatigue, and can contribute to more serious health concerns like high blood pressure, heart problems, and cognitive issues.

The Oral Function Connection

The way your mouth, tongue, and airway develop has everything to do with how well you breathe at night. Here’s how:

• Tongue posture: A low or improperly functioning tongue can block the airway.

• Mouth breathing: Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose can lead to airway collapse during sleep.

• Jaw and palate structure: A narrow or vaulted palate can crowd the airway, making it harder to breathe.
  

When these issues go unaddressed, they increase the risk of sleep-disordered breathing, including sleep apnea.

Why Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Helps

Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) retrains the muscles of the tongue, lips, and face to support nasal breathing and proper tongue posture. For many patients, this can improve airflow, reduce snoring, and decrease the severity of sleep apnea. While therapy isn’t a cure-all, it’s a powerful tool that works alongside medical treatments like CPAP or oral appliances to improve long-term results.

A Holistic Approach to Better Sleep

At OroGlow, we don’t just look at sleep apnea as a nighttime problem—we look at the bigger picture of how oral function impacts the airway. By helping patients strengthen and retrain oral muscles, we support healthier breathing patterns, deeper sleep, and better overall wellness.

OroGlow Myofunctional & Speech Services in Abilene, TX offers therapy that supports patients with sleep apnea by improving oral function, tongue posture, and nasal breathing. Our holistic approach helps reduce snoring, support airway health, and improve sleep quality. Keywords: sleep apnea therapy Abilene, myofunctional therapy sleep apnea, snoring treatment Texas, airway health OroGlow, OroGlow sleep apnea support.