Close-up of hands forming heart around mouth

We specialize in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Because Your Mouth Matters

Though our mouths aren’t something most of us spend a whole lot of time thinking about each day, certainly we can appreciate that they are important for many reasons – we use them to eat, drink, speak, and show emotion.  But did you know that our mouths, specifically our tongues, are even more important than that?  Actually, our tongues play an integral role in the development and function of not only our mouths, but also our airways. 

Who would argue with this statement – ‘When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters’ (American Lung Association)?  The role our tongues play in regard to breathing is therefore vitally important!  Not only that, our tongues also impact our posture, digestion, sleep, and so much more systemically.

Consider that we swallow with up to 6 lbs. of tongue pressure, between 500 and 1000 times per day, in addition to all of the other movements we make with our tongues.  Each of those movements is a chance to significantly impact our bodies in a positive way.  That is only possible, however, if our tongues are in the proper position and moving as they should. This is where orofacial myofunctional therapy can help.

We specialize in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Because Your
Mouth Matters

Though our mouths aren’t something most of us spend a whole lot of time thinking about each day, certainly we can appreciate that they are important for many reasons – we use them to eat, drink, speak, and show emotion.  But did you know that our mouths, specifically our tongues, are even more important than that?  Actually, our tongues play an integral role in the development and function of not only our mouths, but also our airways.  

Who would argue with this statement – ‘When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters’ (American Lung Association)?  The role our tongues play in regard to breathing is therefore vitally important!  Not only that, our tongues also impact our posture, digestion, sleep, and so much more systemically.

Consider that we swallow with up to 6 lbs. of tongue pressure, between 500 and 1000 times per day, in addition to all of the other movements we make with our tongues.  Each of those movements is a chance to significantly impact our bodies in a positive way.  That is only possible, however, if our tongues are in the proper position and moving as they should. This is where orofacial myofunctional therapy can help.

This is our passion

Welcome to
Mouth Matters Therapy

Mouth Matters Therapy, LLC is proud to serve patients ages 3 years old through adult on the west side of Cleveland and surrounding areas, and I look forward to helping you.  

I have been where perhaps you are – my family and I have experienced the frustrations of dealing with chronic respiratory issues, restless sleep, snoring, tongue/lip ties and releases, dental crowding, cavities, palatal expansion, braces, etc.  We can particularly relate to the difficulties encountered and the expenses in time, money, and energy incurred with attempting to find accurate answers to our questions, providers who are not only competent but who also truly care about our best interests, and ultimately effective treatment options to target the root causes of symptoms instead of being a ‘bandaid’ or, even worse, the causes of other compounding issues (yes, we unfortunately have been there, too).  

My research and training in the field of orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) began as a mission to help my own family.  But all of that acquired knowledge, in addition to our own personal journey of much trial and error, led me to wholeheartedly believe that OMT is truly a missing pillar of health for so many more people.  I’m so glad you’ve stopped by this site to learn more about how it might make a difference for you or someone you know.  

Once I started learning about this ever-growing and highly impactful field, I haven’t been able to get enough.  The most important thing I’ve learned on my journey is that there’s always so much more to learn.  I strive to stay on top of the latest research and treatments, not only because I find it fascinating, but because I want to provide the most thorough and effective care for my patients.  

Mouth Matters Therapy, LLC was founded with a primary purpose of helping others in the ways my family and I needed but which were not available to us when we started on this chapter of our health journey.  My goal is to be a source of honest information, relevant education, personal health advocacy, and a reliable guide in helping to determine the best course of care with each individual patient’s best interests at heart.  To learn more about Mouth Matters Therapy, LLC, please contact us.

Multigenerational family smiling

Services We Provide

Who Needs Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?
Some of the conditions we can impact:

Illustration of head with illuminated brain

Cognitive Behavioral Health Issues

Cognitive Behavioral Health Issues

  • Attention issues
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Hyperactivity
  • Impulsivity
  • Aggression
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Brain fog/confusion
Woman's face with cosmetic concerns labeled

Cosmetic Concerns

Cosmetic Concerns

  • Dark under-eye circles
  • Creases along lower eyelids
  • Dry, chapped lips
  • "Gummy" smile
  • Lines/creases around mouth
  • Thin lips
  • Sagging cheeks
  • Ill-defined jawline
  • Facial asymmetries
Four sets of hands holding up pictures of close-up mouths

Dental/Oral Health Issues

Dental/Oral Health Issues

  • Bad breath
  • Dry mouth
  • Cavities
  • Crowding of teeth
  • Malocclusion
  • Tongue and/or lip tie
  • Gum disease
  • Gum recession
  • Tongue thrust
  • Orthodontic relapse/instability
Close-up of hands grasping stomach area with illuminated stomach and intestines

Digestion/Eating Issues

Digestion/Eating Issues

  • Food texture aversions
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Open mouth chewing
  • Inadequate chewing
  • Noisy or messy eating
  • Gastric distress
  • Constipation
  • Reflux
  • Facial/neck muscle compensations
Ear, nose, and throat icons

Ear/Nose/Throat Conditions

Ear/Nose/Throat Conditions

  • Ear infections
  • Enlarged tonsils &/or adenoids
  • Chronic congestion
  • Chronic rhinitis
  • Frequent coughs, colds, sore throat
Woman jumping rope in gym

Exercise/Activity Restrictions

Exercise/Activity Restrictions

  • Easily fatigued or low endurance
  • Shortness of breath
  • Difficulty recovering post-workout
  • Muscle cramping
  • Mouth breathing during activities
Illustration of back of skeleton with hand touching reddened area of neck

Musculoskeletal Issues

Musculoskeletal Issues

  • Forward head & rounded shoulder posture
  • Facial tension
  • Clenching & grinding of teeth
  • Jaw pain/TMJ symptoms
  • Neck tension
  • Shoulder tension
  • Pelvic floor dysfunction
Sleeping child sucking thumb

Oral Habits

Oral Habits

  • Nail biting
  • Lip or cheek biting
  • Tongue sucking
  • Pacifier use
  • Thumb or finger sucking
  • Sucking on clothing
  • Chewing on objects (e.g., pen caps, etc.)
  • Pica
Illustration of chest with illuminated lungs

Respiratory Health Issues

Respiratory Health Issues

  • Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Wheezing
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Fast breathing
  • Shallow/chest breathing
  • Breath-holding
  • Mouth breathing
  • Over-breathing/frequent yawning or sighing
Seated female sleeping with her head resting on her arms around her bent-up knee

Sleep-Related Issues

Sleep-related Issues

  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Restless sleep
  • Fragmented sleep/frequent awakenings
  • Bed-wetting
  • Drooling on pillow
  • Thirst/dry mouth
  • Snoring or loud breathing
  • Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
  • Mild to moderate apnea
  • Laryngopharyngeal reflux
  • Daytime fatigue
silhouette of head/neck with brain and nerves

Neurological Issues

Neurological Issues

  • Headaches
  • History of concussions
  • Bell's Palsy
  • History of stroke
  • Post-orofacial injury/trauma
  • Strong gag reflex
  • Developmental concerns
Surgeon picking up surgical tool from tray. Surgeon is preparing for surgery in operating room. He is in a hospital.

Pre & Post-Procedure Rehabilitation

Pre & Post-Procedure Rehabilitation

  • Post-orthodontic treatment
  • Pre and post-tongue/lip tie release
  • Tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy
  • Dental surgery
  • Jaw surgery
  • Nasal surgery
  • Facial surgery

Some Of The Conditions We Can Impact, Who Needs Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?

Illustration of head with illuminated brain

Cognitive Behavioral Health

Woman's face with cosmetic concerns labeled

Cosmetic Concerns

Four sets of hands holding up pictures of close-up mouths

Dental/Oral Health

Close-up of hands grasping stomach area with illuminated stomach and intestines

Digestion/Eating Issues

Ear, nose, and throat icons

Ear/Nose/Throat Health

Woman jumping rope in gym

Exercise/Activity Restrictions

Illustration of back of skeleton with hand touching reddened area of neck

Musculoskeletal Issues

Sleeping child sucking thumb

Oral Habit Elimination

Illustration of chest with illuminated lungs

Respiratory Health

Seated female sleeping with her head resting on her arms around her bent-up knee

Sleep-related Issues

Welcome to Mouth Matters Therapy

Girl looking at model of brain through a magnifying glass

Cognitive/Behavioral Health

Woman's face with cosmetic concerns labeled

Cosmetic Concerns

Four sets of hands holding up four photos of close-ups of mouths

Dental/Oral Health

Girl looking at model of brain through a magnifying glass

Digestion/Eating Issues

Ear, nose, and throat icons

Ear/Nose/Throat
Health

Woman's face with cosmetic concerns labeled

Exercise/Activity Restrictions

Illustration of back of skeleton with hand reaching for reddened area of neck

Musculoskeletal Issues

Close-up of teeth biting fingernails

Oral Habit Elimination

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