There are three orofacial myofunctional disorders that have direct effect on dental diseases: low tongue posture, tongue thrust swallowing, and mouth breathing. Low tongue posture and tongue thrust swallowing both lead to dental malocclusion or misalignment of teeth and a narrow roof of the mouth. Mouth breathing results in a loss of the cleansing and buffering benefits of saliva, leading to increased acidity in the mouth. This can combine with a strong gag reflex and leads to difficulty cleaning the mouth, both in your home and in the dental hygienist’s chair. Now you are faced with an equation that over time leads to significantly more tooth decay, gum disease, mouth sores, jaw joint pain, clenching and grinding, and eventually to tooth loss from any of these conditions. 

Difficulty cleaning the mouth in the early years of life leads to a poor dental foundation. Once you begin getting cavities and gum disease, it sets you up for more disease later on. Early tooth loss from cavities, loss of bone from gum disease, or worn down, cracked, and broken teeth from clenching and grinding brings on a pattern of continued tooth loss. There is a reason why partial dentures are designed to have teeth easily added to them after they are made - this is because once tooth loss begins, it tends to continue. 

The bacterial effects of prolonged cavity formation and gum disease spread to the airway, leading to increased risk of lung infections and pneumonia. The effects of long term inflammation in the gum tissue are increased risk of heart attack, stroke, pregnancy complications, kidney infections, arthritis, and cognitive decline. Dental health professionals work diligently to treat the symptoms of this underlying disease by filling cavities, treating gum disease, administering dry mouth treatments, and teaching oral home care with some hard won success. Success in truly treating these identifiable dental diseases is found in preventing and treating the underlying causes of low tongue posture, improper swallowing, and mouth breathing.