Dr. Mandeep Johal

Dr. Mandeep Johal Owner of Family Dental Centre and Founder of H.E.A.L

Los Angeles H.E.A.L Summit - March 22, 2025

04/23/2026

Excited to share this tongue tie journey ♥️

My lovely patient came in experiencing chronic neck pain, headaches, TMJ issues, and constant tension.

She was looking forward to her release - but wasn’t expecting this level of relief immediately after.

Her reaction says it all. ✨

For the first time, she was able to turn, stretch, and move freely in a way she hadn’t experienced before.

👉 For many patients, a tongue tie isn’t just about the tongue.

It can influence how the body compensates over time - affecting the neck, jaw, and posture, often contributing to ongoing tension and headaches, just like she was experiencing.

When we address the restriction, we’re not just changing movement in the mouth…
we’re often changing how the body feels as a whole. ✔️


04/15/2026

🦷 Parents are often told cavities are normal in kids. They’re not normal - they’re just common.

Tooth decay is rarely just about brushing and flossing. In many cases, it’s a sign of a deeper imbalance in the body. 🚨

In my practice, these are the top hidden contributors to cavities I see:

🫁 Mouth Breathing
Breathing through the mouth dries out saliva. Saliva protects the teeth by neutralizing acids and controlling bacteria. Less saliva = higher cavity risk.

😴 Poor Sleep
Disrupted sleep (often linked to airway issues) affects saliva production, immune function, and the oral microbiome - all of which play a role in decay.

🌿 Digestive Issues
The oral microbiome is closely connected to the gut. Imbalances in digestion can shift the bacteria in the mouth and increase cavity risk.

🦷 Poor Absorption of Vitamins & Minerals
Teeth rely on nutrients like vitamin D, calcium, and K2 for proper mineralization. If the body isn’t absorbing these well, enamel becomes weaker and more prone to decay.

Cavities are often the body’s way of saying something isn’t functioning optimally.

👉 When we look beyond the teeth - at breathing, sleep, nutrition, and overall health - we can start to understand why decay is happening and support the body more effectively.

This is how we move from simply treating cavities… to actually preventing them. ✨


04/08/2026

There’s so much conversation about anti-aging - creams, Botox, filler.

But one thing we rarely talk about is facial function. ✨

👉 The structure of the face is supported by both bone and muscle. And those muscles are influenced by how we breathe, swallow, and chew, every single day.

When facial muscles are tight, imbalanced, or not functioning properly, it can change how the face is supported over time.

But when those muscles are balanced and working well, they help maintain better support for the bones and soft tissues of the face. 😄

This is why things like:
• nasal breathing
• proper tongue posture
• balanced chewing
• healthy swallowing patterns

play such an important role in facial structure and long-term health.

It’s also why airway dentists and myofunctional therapists focus so much on function - because these small daily habits influence how the face develops and changes over time. ✔️

Sometimes the most powerful things we can do are also the most foundational.

It’s about understanding how the body works - and supporting it from the inside out. ❤️

If you’re interested in natural ways to support facial balance and function, feel free to DM me! 💫


04/02/2026

One of my favourite patient moments 🤍

This sweet 10-year-old had never been able to lift his tongue to the roof of his mouth. After his tongue-tie release, the first thing he wanted to try was lifting his tongue - and he was so excited to realize he could finally touch his palate for the very first time. 🎉

For many children, a tongue-tie can limit tongue mobility and affect important functions like breathing, swallowing, speech, posture, and even how the jaws develop overtime.

👅 When the tongue can move freely, it allows children to:
• establish proper tongue posture on the palate
• develop more efficient swallowing patterns
• improve speech articulation
• better support healthy jaw and airway development

Moments like this are a great reminder of how important tongue function is - and how much kids notice when their body finally moves the way it’s supposed to. ✨


03/31/2026

If you work with children, oral-motor function is something you can’t overlook ♥️

It’s not just about identifying a problem - it’s about understanding the whole child and how the body works together.

💡 Our new H.E.A.L course with Dr. Nardine Bekhit is designed to give manual therapists practical tools to support children experiencing challenges with tongue mobility, strength, and coordination while also supporting airway and oral development.

You’ll learn how to confidently assess oral-motor patterns, apply gentle hands-on techniques, and collaborate with dentists, SLPs, OTs, and myofunctional therapists to support children in a truly collaborative way.

✨ A valuable course for manual therapists who want to deepen their knowledge and better support the families they serve.

🔗 Enroll now - link in bio!


03/27/2026

Your tongue plays a powerful role in how your jaws and teeth develop. 👅

When the tongue rests low in the mouth instead of gently against the palate, it changes how the muscles of the mouth, jaw, and face work together. Over time, this can influence swallowing patterns, bite development, and even how the upper jaw grows.

👉 Some common things we see with low tongue posture include:
• Improper swallowing patterns
• Open bites from the tongue pushing against the teeth
• Narrow upper jaws and crowded teeth

The tongue is meant to rest on the palate and act as a natural guide for jaw development. When it sits low in the mouth, the upper jaw doesn’t receive that support - which can lead to underdevelopment and less space for teeth and the airway. 😬

This is why awareness of tongue posture and oral function matters. Sometimes the teeth are showing us a bigger story about how the muscles, jaws, and airway are working together. 💡


03/24/2026

Does your child mouth breathe or keep their mouth open all the time? 😧

A tongue tie release alone doesn’t always correct open mouth posture.

👉 Open mouth posture is often a muscle and motor pattern issue, not just a structural one. Kids need to learn how to use their tongue, lips, and breathing muscles properly to support healthy oral posture.

One simple exercise we often use is called “motor boats” 🚤 - it helps strengthen lip seal, improve airflow control, and build better coordination of the oral muscles.

In this reel, the amazing .speechie (Shruthi) is demonstrating motor boats - and making therapy look effortless ✨

If your child:
• breathes through their mouth
• sleeps with their mouth open
• keeps their lips apart at rest

They may benefit from myofunctional therapy, not just a tongue-tie release.

Because muscles need training too - just like the rest of the body. 💫


03/20/2026

😬 Clenching. Jaw clicking. Tight facial muscles…
don’t just affect how your jaw feels - they can influence how your face ages.

When the muscles around the jaw are constantly tight or overworked, they pull on the skin and underlying structures. Over time, this can contribute to:
• Smile lines
• Tension in the cheeks and jaw
• Changes in facial support and shape

And as we age, the upper jaw (maxilla) naturally begins to lose some of its structural support. If the muscles around it are imbalanced or tight, it can accelerate how the face changes over time.

One simple, natural way to help?
👉 A targeted gua sha routine that focuses on releasing jaw tension.

When done consistently, it can:
✨ Release tension and relax overactive muscles
✨ Improve circulation and lymphatic flow
✨ Support more balanced facial movement

But here’s the piece I always come back to - the TONGUE plays a huge role. 👅

If the tongue rests low in the mouth, it doesn’t support the upper jaw from the inside. That lack of support can contribute to imbalance, tension, and changes in facial structure over time.

So while gua sha helps release tension externally… we also want to address what’s happening internally.
✔️ Tongue posture
✔️ Breathing patterns
✔️ Muscle function

This is why I often recommend myofunctional therapy alongside these routines.

Because true change doesn’t just come from what we do on the surface - it comes from restoring balance from the inside out 🤍


03/18/2026

After 15+ years in airway dentistry, here are 15 things I gently share with parents again and again 🤍

Because many concerns we see later - crowding, sleep issues, jaw development - don’t start in the teenage years… they start much earlier.

💡 It often starts with breathing and oral posture:

1️⃣ Mouth breathing isn’t a habit
It’s often compensation for a restricted airway or low tongue posture.

2️⃣ Tongue posture matters
A low tongue can lead to a narrower palate and less space for teeth and airway.

3️⃣ Lips open at rest = muscle imbalance
This often causes mouth breathing and improper swallowing.

4️⃣ Kids don’t “grow out” of mouth breathing
They grow around it - affecting facial and jaw development.

💡 Then it shows up in sleep:

5️⃣ Snoring in kids isn’t normal
It can mean restricted airflow during sleep.

6️⃣ Grinding can be a breathing red flag
The body is working extra hard to support the airway.

7️⃣ Sleep affects everything
Behaviour, focus, growth, and immunity.

💡 Then we see it in the teeth and jaws:

8️⃣ Crooked teeth are often a symptom
Not just something braces fix.

9️⃣ Waiting until 12 can miss a key window
Early growth is when change is easiest.

🔟 Enlarged tonsils/adenoids are often a response
Not always the root cause.

💡 There’s more to oral health than brushing:

1️⃣1️⃣ Cavities aren’t just hygiene issue
Mineralization (vitamin D3, K2) matters too.

1️⃣2️⃣ X-rays matter
They show growth, airway, and what we can’t see clinically.

1️⃣3️⃣ By age 5, we can often predict growth patterns
From a functional and airway perspective.

💡 And look at the body as a whole:

1️⃣4️⃣ Breathing affects the whole body
Posture, alignment, and movement.

1️⃣5️⃣ Healthcare should include maintenance
Not just treatment - early support matters.

My goal is to help families understand the why - so we can support development early and intentionally ✨

03/16/2026

Before and after a baby tongue tie release 💛

👉 This sweet little one came in with a lot of tension throughout her body. Her parents shared that she felt very stiff, with very little movement in her head and neck. Babies are naturally meant to be soft, flexible, and able to move freely - so when we see this kind of stiffness, it’s often a sign that the body may be compensating for something deeper.

Immediately after her tongue tie release, we started to see more movement in her head and neck right away. In fact, she suddenly needed more head support because she was able to move in ways she couldn’t before. ✨

Her parents described it perfectly:
“She feels like a noodle - her body is finally able to relax”‼️

When the tongue is restricted, the body often adapts by creating tension. The tongue is connected to the fascial system that runs throughout the entire body, so a restriction in the mouth can show up as stiffness, tightness, or limited movement elsewhere.

👩‍⚕️ This is why caring for babies with tongue ties is always a team approach. Working alongside bodywork practitioners (chiropractors, osteopaths, craniosacral therapists, physiotherapists, and others who specialize in infants) helps support the body as it releases tension and begins to move more freely.

Every baby is different, but increased tension or stiffness in the body can be an important sign that something may need to be looked at more closely.

If you’re a parent who has noticed your baby feeling unusually tense or stiff, it may be worth exploring further ♥️


Address

Guelph, ON

Telephone

+15197672729

Website

https://bit.ly/los-angeles-heal-summit

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