leF
I post only HQ.
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2025
- Posts
- 74
- Reputation
- 438
If you’ve read my posts before, you already know I only drop gold and this one’s no different.
Too many people are out here messing with tongue posture, mewing, jaw exercises, even going under the knife and they still don’t understand what Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) actually is. Or how it all connects. They’re skipping the fundamentals, wasting time, or worse, actually making things worse. So I broke down the real protocol used by licensed therapists, with no trends, no fluff, just what actually works and how to apply it step-by-step.
If your mouth is open when you’re breathing, your tongue is chilling at the bottom of your mouth, and your lips are just dangling there, congrats, you’ve already sabotaged your face and airway. This is more than just looks. It affects how you breathe, sleep, chew, talk, even how you sit and walk. If your jaw is unstable, your tongue is weak, and you’re not breathing through your nose, it throws your entire body off. By the way, you’re not fixing this by doing 10 reps of “tongue push-ups.”
There’s a full framework to follow. I’m not making any of this up, it’s pulled from actual therapists, SLPs, clinical instructors, and airway-focused experts who know their stuff.
.
First, Start With Assessment
You want to know what’s wrong? Measure it.
- Lip seal: Test how long you can keep lips gently closed, target 3 minutes (Zaghi, 2020) . Use lip tape, tongue depressor, or paper to practice.
- Mentalis check: Watch for chin-tensing or facial strain while sealing.
- Nasal breathing assessment:
- Use Cottle’s maneuver and nostril collapse coding (levels 0-5) (youtube.com, talktools.com, osspeac.org).
- For ages 10+, count comfortable nasal steps (Buteyko norms: 50-80 steps) (myofunctionaltherapy4u.com).
- Functional observations: While breathing, chewing, sipping, swallowing, and speaking, look for lip tension, facial strain, shoulder slouch, head tilt, or raised eyebrows (osspeac.org).
.
Know The Signs That You Need OMT
Not all of this will apply to everyone, but if you see even half you’re in the club.
- Lip incompetence (can’t seal them naturally)
- Tongue tie (ankyloglossia)
- Seasonal allergies or airway issues
- Sleep‑disordered breathing (restless sleep/snoring + poor nasal test results)
- Malocclusion (especially Class III), bruxism, messy eating
- Speech issues (apraxia, articulation disorders)
- Those with repeated adenoid/tonsil surgery need pre/post OMT support (myofunctionaltherapy4u.com, therapyworks.com)
Source: osspeac.org.
Build the Foundation
The essentials:- Lips sealed at rest
- Nasal breathing only
- Tongue sealed to the entire palate (front and back!)
- No compensatory tension : your jaw, chin, brow, and shoulders should all be relaxed
Core Exercises That Work
Frequency:
Daily - minimum 1x/day
Ideal - 2x/day (AM + PM), 15-20 minutes per session
Daily - minimum 1x/day
Ideal - 2x/day (AM + PM), 15-20 minutes per session
Jaw
Goal: Controlled movement, joint stabilization, coordination
1. Controlled Open-Close (Volitional Jaw Movement)
3 sets of 10 reps
- Sit upright.
- Slowly open your mouth with control (avoid joint clicks).
- Pause halfway, then continue to full open.
- Close slowly.
2. Partial Holds (Jaw Grading)
3 sets of 5 reps, 5-second hold
- Open mouth halfway.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Return to rest.
3 sets of 3 reps (small, medium, full open)
- Open just a little → hold 2 sec
- Then open halfway → hold 2 sec
- Full open → hold 2 sec
- Then reverse the order to close
4. Jaw Lateral Hold (Side-to-Side Mandible Control)
2 sets of 3 reps per side
Hold: 10 seconds each direction
- Sit upright, jaw relaxed
- Slowly slide your jaw to the left no head tilt or neck shift (use hands if needed)
- Hold for 10 seconds, return to center
- Slide to the right, hold for 10 seconds
- Rest between reps
LIPS
Goal: Improve lip seal, strength, and control at rest and during function
1. Pucker to Elevated Smile (“Motor Mouth”)
3 sets of 10 reps
- Pucker lips tightly.
- Hold 2 seconds.
- Transition to a big, wide smile (lift cheeks).
- Hold 2 seconds.
2. Lip Hold - Object Resistance
3 sets of 10 sec per object
- Place a paper strip, straw, lollipop stick, or cork between your lips (not teeth)
- Hold it there using just your lips for 10 seconds
- Keep cheeks relaxed, no jaw or face tension
- Bonus: You can also do this to force breathing through the nose.
3. Lip Retraction / Protrusion (“Lion Growls”)
2 sets of 10 reps
- Push lips out like a kiss → pull back as in a lion snarl
- Full range each time
TONGUE
Goal: Posterior tongue elevation, suction, and independent tongue control.
1. Puppy Pick-Up with Cheerio (Fine Motor Drill)
1 set of 5 reps
- Place Cheerio on a spoon.
- Pick it up with the tongue tip only no lips.
- Hold for 3 seconds before releasing.
2 sets of 10 reps
- Stick tongue straight out keep it narrow
- Trace lips in a full circle (both directions)
2 sets of 10 reps
- Stick tongue out
- Move left and right slowly, touching each lip corner
- IMPORTANT : Don’t move jaw
3 sets of 5 reps
- Lift tip of the tongue to the “spot” (alveolar ridge)
- Hold 5 seconds, no floor of mouth movement
- Monitor for chin or lip tension (mentalist strain = stop)
5. Taco Tongue / Tongue Bowl / Cupping & Grooving
2-3 drills, 5 reps each
- Fold tongue into taco shape
- Try to hold a small item (grain of rice, paper dot)
- Flatten and repeat
6. Tongue Suction Hold (Back Elevation)
3 sets of 10-second holds
- Flatten tongue against palate
- Suction tongue up by creating negative pressure
- Keep lips sealed and breathe through nose
7. Button Pulls (Strength Training)
Start with 7/8" button, 3 reps x 5 seconds hold
- Thread floss through a button
- Place behind lips
- Hold lips together and pull gently for resistance
- Don’t let button come out!
BREATHING
Goal: Establish nasal breathing, improve diaphragm use, integrate with tongue posture
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing (3 Positions)
3-5 minutes total/day
- Lying: One hand on chest, one on belly. Belly should rise, not chest.
- Sitting: Same concept
- Standing: Integrate into posture
2. Nasal Seal + Tongue Posture
3 sets of 5 nasal breaths
- Sit or stand
- Lips sealed
- Tongue suctioned to palate
- Breathe through nose only
- Focus on no visible movement in shoulders or neck
3. Sinus Shake-Up (Optional)
1-2 mins, pre-practice
- Light massage over cheeks, nose bridge, under eyes
- Increases nasal airflow
In a nutshell: Print this out and put it somewhere in your room. Do the exercises, it's as simple as that. Treat them the same way you treat brushing your teeth. These are the key to looksmaxing and no longer being average.
| Area | Exercise (Name + Short Instructions) | Reps/Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Jaw | Slow open/close with control, pause midway | 3 sets of 10 |
| Half-open jaw, hold 5 sec, then rest | 3 sets of 5 | |
| Open small → medium → full, then reverse | 3 sets of 3 | |
| Slide jaw left/right with control, hold | 2 sets of 3 per side, 10-sec holds | |
| Lips | Pucker lips, then wide smile with cheek lift | 3 sets of 10 |
| Hold item with lips only, no cheek or jaw use | 3 sets of 10 sec/object | |
| Alternate kiss face with snarl/lion face | 2 sets of 10 | |
| Tongue | Pick up Cheerio with tongue tip only | 1 set of 5 |
| Stick tongue out, trace full circle around lips | 2 sets of 10 | |
| Tongue left/right without jaw movement | 2 sets of 10 | |
| Hold tongue tip on alveolar ridge (no chin movement) | 3 sets of 5, 5-sec holds | |
| Fold into taco shape, hold item | 2-3 drills, 5 reps each | |
| Suction tongue to palate, lips sealed | 3 sets of 10-sec holds | |
| Hold button with lips while pulling for resistance | 3 reps x 5-sec holds | |
| Breathing | Belly breathing lying, sitting, standing | 3-5 min total/day |
| Lips sealed, tongue up, nasal breath | 3 sets of 5 breaths | |
| Light massage over cheeks, nose bridge, under eyes | 1-2 min pre-practice |
Consistency is key:
- Start conscious, track daily (brief notes or video clip helps)
- Use lip tape at night to amp up daytime practice
- Avoid over-pressuring tongue, light and full-palate contact only
- Adjust until 100% palate seal becomes second nature (usually 2-8 weeks)
- Vibration
- Cold or thermal input
- Sour tasting
- Light touch (tapping, massage)
- Proprioceptive tasks (tracking, weighted resistance) (osspeac.org, youtube.com, talktools.com, therapyworks.com)
- ENT/allergist if nasal breathing fails baseline tests
- Myofunctional / airway‑centric orthodontist or dentist if palate is narrow
- ENT referral if tongue tie but only coupled with pre-/post‑OMT (myofunctionaltherapy4u.com, therapyworks.com)
- PT/chiropractor for posture or TMJ issues
What real change looks like (RESULTS)
Before OMT :
- Weak jawline, no definition
- Mouth breathing face (long, soft, tired look)
- Low, lazy tongue posture
- Lip incompetence (open at rest = unattractive)
- Asymmetrical face movement (smile, chew, talk)
- Swollen under-eyes, nasal congestion
- Forward head, slouched posture
- Poor sleep = dark circles, bloated face
- Jaw clicks, TMJ tension, facial tightnes.
- Snoring, poor sleep, low energy, eye bags
- Messy chewing, swallowing effort, drooling
- Speech sounds unclear (lisp, mumble, flat tone)
- Forward head posture, weak neck-jaw angle
- Poor sensory awareness = no control over facial habits
After Consisten OMT Practice (2x/day, 15-20 min):
- Sharper jawline from better posture and muscle tone
- Sealed lips = instant aesthetic upgrade
- Midface lifts from tongue-to-palate pressure
- Natural chin projection without fake tension
- More defined smile and balanced facial movement
- Reduced eye bags from improved lymph flow and nasal breathing
- Straighter posture, tighter neck angle, masculine head position
- Tongue fully suctioned to the palate (front and back)
- Nasal breathing becomes your 24/7 default
- Jaw moves smoothly, no clicks or strain
- Deeper sleep, less snoring, better oxygen = leaner, more rested face
- Efficient chewing, no drooling or food spills
- Clearer, stronger, more confident speech
- Stronger oral-facial muscles = better tone, symmetry, and control
- More attractive facial structure over time, especially midface and jaw
- Greater body awareness, you feel when posture or breathing is off
Source : honorfranklin.com
It’s not just bone structure, it’s how you use your face. Good function = Good form. That’s the difference between "average" and optimized. Anyway, this is clinical, it’s structured, and it’s working for real people.
This deserves BOTB.
