Mouth Matters Therapy LLC

08/01/2025

Rarely does simply following a trend seen on TicTik or other social media outlet effectively solve a problem that is often multi-faceted, without raising additional concerns.

Sleep disordered breathing requires the care of a well-trained team of professionals that considers the whole system in order to properly (and safely!) address root causes and related symptoms.

06/28/2025

🌟 Transformations Take Commitment 🌟

Check out these amazing before & after results — taken just 2 months apart! 📸✨

This progress is a powerful reminder that healing happens when we work together: regular in-person therapy sessions + staying consistent with a customized home program = real, lasting change, including:

✅ Better posture and stronger core — helping to stand taller, move with confidence, and feel more stable
✅ Enhanced body awareness — recognizing and adjusting posture naturally for easier, more coordinated movements
✅ Stronger tongue muscles — supporting clearer speech, efficient swallowing, and healthy oral function
✅ Improved tongue and facial mobility — making breathing, talking, and eating more comfortable while reducing strain and compensations

👏 We’re so proud of our patients - like the sweet, hardworking girl in these photos - who show up, consistently put in the effort, and trust the process. We know it isn't always easy but you are the reason these results are possible!

✅ Ready to see what’s possible for you or your loved one? Message us or call today to learn how our personalized therapy programs can help you reach your goals.

05/29/2025

💥These photos were taken less than an hour apart — without doing any direct tongue or mouth exercises!

By focusing on assessing and balancing the rest of the body, we were able to see immediate improvements in tongue muscle engagement. This shows how whole-body alignment can make a big difference in oral function.🔥

05/28/2025

🌬 Is your child struggling with mouth breathing, poor sleep, or restless behavior?
You might have heard that the answer is to “make more space” in their mouth and airway with an expander or other dental device. But here’s the rest of the story -

✅ Airway space alone isn’t enough. We need to address airflow.
To truly help a child breathe better, sleep better, and feel better, we have to understand the bigger picture — including their nervous system, muscles, and even how the bones in their head move.

Here’s what actually regulates healthy airflow 👇

🔹 1️⃣ Airway Anatomy
Of course, the nose, throat, and jaw structures matter. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids, a deviated septum, or swollen nasal tissues can block airflow and result in mouth breathing and related symptoms.
But again, space is only one part of the equation.

🔹 2️⃣The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
This part of the nervous system controls how fast your child breathes, how open their airways stay, and how deeply they can inhale.
🧠 When kids have a dysregulated nervous system due to systemic stress, inflammation, etc — which can be related to trauma, pre/post-natal issues, environmental factors — their breathing becomes shallow and inefficient, even if the airway is wide open.

🔹 3️⃣ Cranial Movement + CSF Flow
Here’s the part most parents never hear about:
The bones in the human head (including the upper jaw) are designed to move slightly in a rhythmic fashion. That movement helps regulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, which cushions the brain, clears waste, and supports calm, balanced nervous system function.
🛑 When those bones are restricted — due to trauma, tension, or even fixed expanders — it can disrupt this fluid flow and impact how the brain and nervous system control many things, including breathing.

🔹 4️⃣ Breathing Muscles & Body Coordination
Breathing doesn’t just involve the lungs — it’s a full-body effort.
Muscles like the diaphragm, intercostals, and facial and postural muscles must work in harmony to support deep, easy breathing.
⚖️ Poor muscle tone, weakness, or imbalanced coordination anywhere in the body can throw off breathing mechanics, leading to inefficient patterns and compensations elsewhere.

💡 What this ultimately means -
Just expanding the palate might help create space, and that might be necessary — but if we don’t also support nervous system balance, cranial rhythm, and muscle function, we may miss or worsen the root of the issue, or even create new ones.

A truly functional airway means:
✔️ Structural space
✔️ Neurological balance
✔️ Freedom of cranial movement
✔️ Strong, coordinated muscle function

💬 If you’ve tried fixing airway space and your child is still struggling — you’re not alone. There is more to the story, and you’re not imagining it. Let’s keep looking deeper.

05/10/2025

🧠Did You Know Your Nostrils Take Turns?

It’s true — your nose naturally alternates airflow from one nostril to the other every few hours in what’s called a "nasal cycle." This rhythm is controlled by your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which manages other automatic functions such as heart rate and digestion.

✨ So why does this matter?

This cycling helps maintain balance between the two sides of your brain, supports nasal tissue health, and influences your nervous system state.

🔴Right nostril breathing is associated with the sympathetic nervous system — this promotes alertness, energy, and mental focus. It slightly raises your heart rate and body temperature, making it great for when you need a boost.

🔵Left nostril is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system — this promotes relaxation, calm, and restoration. It can help lower stress, anxiety, and prime the body for sleep.

But what if you can’t breathe clearly through one side… or either?

👃 Enter Nasal Release Technique (NRT):
This gentle manual therapy technique helps release restrictions in the nasal passages, often improving airflow, sinus drainage, and even nervous system balance., ultimately enhancing overall body health and function. It can be especially helpful for those who:

-Feel blocked or congested despite no obvious sinus infection

-Have difficulty switching between nostrils naturally

-Experience headaches, facial tension, or have had past trauma to the face or head

💡 Try this: Gently block one nostril and breathe through the other for a few minutes. Notice how you feel. You might be surprised!

🧐Could NRT be helpful for you? Message us to learn more!

03/24/2025

03/09/2025

Is it ADHD or poor sleep? Follow Dr. Soroush Zaghi to view a very informative short video discussing this! @ soroushzaghimd

Addressing airway issues and improving sleep can transform your child’s focus, behavior, and quality of life!

Signs like mouth breathing, crowded teeth, tongue posture issues, and worn-down teeth can all indicate airway problems that impact sleep, growth, and overall health.

By screening for these red flags, providers can help identify concerns early, refer for proper intervention, and support optimal development. Prevention starts with awareness—because healthy breathing means a healthier future.



References:
• Gozal, D., O'Brien, L. M., & Row, B. W. (2008).
Consequences of sleep-disordered breathing in children:
What is the evidence? Pediatrics, 122(3), 661-668. https:// doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-1182
• Bonnin, M., Guilleminault, C., & Powell, N. (2019). The impact of sleep-disordered breathing on children's neurocognitive development. Sleep Medicine, 58, 45-50.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2019.03.021
• Sedky, K., Bennett, D. S., & Carvalho, K. S. (2014).
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sleep disordered breathing in pediatric populations: A meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine, 15(2), 168-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.sleep.2013.08.786
• Youssef, N. A., Ege, M., Angly, S. S., Strauss, J. L., & Marx, C. E. (2011). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sleep-disordered breathing in children. The Scientific World Journal, 11, 2531-2538. https://doi.org/10.1100/2011/276895

01/08/2025

BREATHING IS A FUNCTION

Expanding the upper jaw and the palate alone is not going to resolve nor correct dysfunction. Breathing is a function, and if it’s dysfunctional, then correct it by addressing the root causes and undergo functional breathing retraining.

If the jaw is narrow and the palate is high, depending on each individual case, expansion can widen them to create structural improvements of the sizes of the jaws and the nasal cavities. However, even though there would be more space for the to sit up in the mouth, and more space in the nose for breathing, it would not mean that they would automatically happen.

Healthy functional breathing does not mean only nose breathing. It also means using the diaphragm correctly, inhaling and exhaling the optimal amount of air, not over-breathing, and being functionally regulated by the nervous system.

There are various factors that may cause breathing dysfunctions, including (but not limited to):
- genetic predisposition
- gestational conditions
- nutrition
- the environment
- allergies
- structural underdevelopment and restrictions

Hence, only focusing on the structure alone is insufficient to treat breathing dysfunctions.

Breathing is not as simple as it sounds. It does take a considerable amount of time and a team of skilled health professionals to manage a breathing dysfunction.

10/17/2024

Therapy alone has been shown to reduce sleep apnea symptoms by ~50% in adults by improving the strength and function of tongue and upper airway muscles. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4402674/

However, there often remains a link between obesity and residual sleep apnea symptoms for a number of patients. Our office is excited to now offer a natural weight loss option to more effectively help individuals dealing with sleep apnea.

“Among the risk factors for OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), obesity is probably the most important. Several cross-sectional studies have consistently found an association between increased body weight and the risk of OSA. Significant sleep apnea is present in ≈40% of obese individuals, and ≈70% of OSA patients are obese. Furthermore, in a population-based prospective study of 690 randomly selected Wisconsin residents, a 10% weight gain was associated with a 6-fold increase in the odds of development of sleep apnea (Figure 4). In the same study, a 10% weight loss predicted a 26% decrease in the apnea-hypopnea index (Figure 4). Similarly, in several other case-control studies, weight loss in OSA patients led to a significant decrease in apnea frequency.” https://doi.org/10.1161/01.HYP.0000101686.98973.A3

“Research has linked a 10% increase in BMI to a 32% increase in the number of times breathing stops or pauses during sleep.” https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/features/sleep-apnea-and-obesity/

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a naturally occurring hormone in our bodies that plays a key role in glucose metabolism by helping to regulate blood sugar, digestion, and hunger signals.

Typically, GLP-1 is released by the intestines when foods (specifically carbs and fats) are consumed, enhancing insulin secretion and suppressing glucagon secretion, slowing food emptying from the stomach, and acting on the brain to increase feelings of fullness. These mechanisms work together to help control blood sugar, balance energy, and ultimately maintain healthy body weight.

❌However, things like oxidative stress and aging can result in decreased GLP-1 production, which in turn contributes to weight gain. Excess weight, especially in the abdomen, chest, and neck, can then compromise airway size and function, impeding airflow, lung volume, and neuromuscular control of breathing. These factors can lead to sleep disordered breathing symptoms, such as snoring and sleep apnea, which are detrimental not only to sleep quality but also systemic health.

While there are synthetic forms of GLP-1 on the market, our practice is excited to have available as part of our holistic approach to helping remediate sleep apnea symptoms an innovative, patent-pending system that has been clinically shown to:

✅NATURALLY reduce oxidative stress and its adverse effects on GLP-1 production by significantly enhancing the body’s own antioxidant enzyme production,

AND

✅NATURALLY increase GLP-1 production by an average of 140% WITHOUT injections, prescriptions, or the negative side effects commonly associated with synthetic forms of this hormone.

Without other significant lifestyle changes, people who have simply added this system to their daily routine have reported enhanced sleep and improved energy, along with lost pounds and inches, and decreased food cravings.

In a 12-week clinical study, participants saw:

Up to 25 # average weight loss,
Up to 27% reduction in visceral fat,
95% reduction in sugar cravings,
Zero muscle loss - this is so important, especially as we work in therapy to strengthen weakened muscles that have further contributed to sleep apnea symptoms!

Please contact our office to learn more about improving the quality of your breathing, sleep, and overall health 🩵💚

09/14/2024

Visit us today at the Westlake Wellness & Safety Day!

05/28/2024

Mouth taping - yay or nay?

I sometimes recommend this to patients as part of their treatment plan, when appropriate based on their individual needs. When used correctly, mouth taping can be helpful for facilitating nasal breathing at night, which correlates with more optimal "rest and digest" nervous system functioning that is conducive to restful sleep.

However, mouth taping is NOT recommended for everyone - as with every intervention, there are risks to consider, based on such things as individuals' anatomy, comorbid conditions, age, etc.

I therefore always recommend consulting with a physician and/or a well-trained therapist, who can help determine if/when mouth taping might be an appropriate adjunctive measure to incorporate as you work to address the root causes of your symptoms under their professional care.

This controversial technique could be your ticket to a better night’s sleep.

05/15/2024

I've been getting asked a lot lately about REMastered Sleep products - Anders Olmanson has worked hard to develop these beneficial products, and recently has done some very effective marketing for them!

I do utilize REMplenish nozzles within my treatments for patients; I appreciate having them available as tools to help strengthen the tongue and soft palate muscles, and train in efficient functional patterns.

My response to inquiries as to whether these products would be helpful for various individuals or their children to use, though, is the same as what I would give regarding any other therapy tool or device - "The right tool in the wrong hands is always the wrong tool."

What do I mean - There are certainly remarkable benefits possible with consistent and proper use of REMplenish nozzles. However, please note the word "proper," as technique is key. You may not see the benefits of use if you aren't using these nozzles correctly, and you may instead actually reinforce compensatory patterns or perhaps even create new ones.

Additionally, it definitely would be worth considering whatever has prompted you to pursue the use of such tools in the first place.

I always recommend a comprehensive assessment by a trained therapist to help identify the root causes of symptoms or issues you have been experiencing, in order to help establish a thorough, holistic approach to remediation. A trained therapist can also help to ensure proper use of appropriate therapy tools.

REMastered Sleep products in conjunction with other individualized therapy interventions most appropriate for your needs would be the best solution to your airway and tongue function concerns. 💙💚