01/14/2026
OPEN-MOUTH POSTURE & WHY IT MATTERS
Understanding Myofunctional Therapy in Everyday Development
Open-mouth posture is when the lips rest apart and the mouth hangs open during quiet breathing. It may seem small, but this posture can have a big impact on a child’s overall health, development, and success in therapy.
👄Why Does Open-Mouth Posture Happen? 👄
✨Open-mouth posture may occur due to:
✨Mouth breathing (from allergies, enlarged tonsils/adenoids, congestion)
✨Low resting tongue posture
✨Weak oral-facial muscles
✨Habits such as thumb sucking or pacifier use
✨Structural differences in the jaws or airway
These factors often work together, creating a cycle that keeps the mouth open and the tongue low.
🤌How Does It Affect Development🤌
Open-mouth posture can influence multiple areas, including:
🫁Breathing:
Children who mouth breathe may not receive the same oxygen quality as nasal breathers. Nasal breathing warms, filters, and humidifies air—important for overall health and sleep quality.
💬Speech:
A low tongue position and open lips can make it harder to produce certain sounds clearly, especially /s/, /z/, /sh/, /ch/, /j/, and /l/. Improving oral posture supports clearer, stronger speech.
🍴Feeding & Swallowing:
An open mouth can affect chewing efficiency and swallowing patterns. Children may fatigue quickly when eating or have difficulty managing certain textures.
💪🏼Muscle Strength & Facial Growth:
When the mouth stays open, the muscles of the face, cheeks, and lips don’t engage the way they should. Over time, this can influence jaw growth, dental alignment, and facial symmetry.
💤Sleep:
Children who mouth breathe are more likely to snore, grind teeth, or sleep restlessly. Good oral resting posture supports healthier sleep patterns and more restorative rest.
👅What Do We Teach in Myofunctional Therapy? 👅
Myofunctional therapy helps children build strong, healthy oral habits through exercises and awareness. We focus on:
✨ Lips closed
✨ Tongue resting on the palate (roof of the mouth)
✨ Breathing through the nose
✨ Strengthening oral and facial muscles
✨ Improving chewing, swallowing, and speech clarity
These small daily habits create lifelong improvements in oral health, speech, sleep, and overall well-being.
Your Therapy Team Is Here to Help
If you notice your child frequently resting with their mouth open, having trouble breathing through their nose, or struggling with speech, feeding skills, or regulation our OT, ST, and myofunctional team can help identify the cause and create a plan that supports healthy development.
