North Sound Myofunctional Matters

10/04/2025

10 Reasons Why Breathing Through Your Nose Promotes Health

Breathing through your nose offers incredible advantages because it’s what your body was designed to do:
🌬 Natural air filter — traps dust, allergens, and irritants
😌 Less coughing & throat irritation — humidifies and soothes airways
🛡 Supports immunity — produces nitric oxide to fight infection
😴 Reduces snoring & sleep apnea — keeps airways open for deeper sleep
💧 Moisturizes & warms air — prevents dryness in your lungs
❤️ Boosts circulation — increases airflow to arteries, veins & nerves
💨 Improves oxygen uptake — delivers more energy to every cell
🫁 Expands lung capacity — encourages deeper, more efficient breathing
💪 Strengthens diaphragm — supports healthier breathing mechanics
😀 Supports oral health — encourages proper jaw & teeth alignment

Information courtesy of Myo Tape 💋

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05/04/2025

This is all too common, especially in my generation where palatal expansion was not an orthodontic treatment option in childhood.
For many, like myself, a life time with a high narrow palate has resulted in a domino effect of chronic health conditions such as sleep apnea, breathing disorders related to restricted nasal airflow, teeth clenching/grinding, TMJ and neck pain, headaches, and the list goes on.

Luckily, for many years, palatal expansion has been a popular interceptive orthodontic treatment in children to not only make room for the adult teeth, but also for the tongue and to increase nasal volume.

Orthodontic technology has made great strides! Palate Expansion for adults is now possibile! For adult candidates, like myself, there is an orthodontic technique called MARPE (miniscrew assisted rapid palatal expansion)

Stay tuned to follow my upcoming MARPE journey.

The roof of the mouth, known as the palate, is directly connected to the nasal passages. When the palate is narrow, it can restrict airflow and create several issues. Here’s how it can impact breathing and health:

1. **Airflow Restriction**: A narrow palate can lead to a smaller nasal cavity, which makes it harder for air to flow freely in and out through the nose. This can result in nasal congestion and difficulty nasal breathing.

2. **Mouth Breathing**: If airflow through the nose is obstructed due to a narrow palate, children may resort to mouth breathing. This can lead to dry mouth, dental problems, and even affect speech development.

3. **Sleep Quality**: Poor airflow can also impact sleep. Children with a narrow palate may be more prone to sleep apnea or restless sleep, leading to fatigue and difficulties in concentration during the day.

4. **Facial Development**: Over time, a narrow palate can contribute to changes in facial structure, potentially leading to issues like malocclusion (misalignment of teeth) and other orthodontic concerns.

5. **Overall Health**: Since effective nasal breathing plays a crucial role in filtering, humidifying, and warming the air we breathe, any obstruction can affect overall respiratory health and well-being.

➡️ narrow palate -> low tongue posture

➡️ low tongue posture ->mouth breathing during critical growth periods -> maldevelopment of the jaw -> increase in the mandible plane angle (longer face), a higher palatal plane (affects upper airways), and narrowing of both upper and lower arches->malocclusion ->sleep disordered breathing

There are several influences which can affect facial growth and development.

One of the most common one in children is caused by a compromised airway - The inability to breathe properly through the nose.

Join Dr. Zaghi at our upcoming Breathe course on airway, sleep, breathing, health, growth & development in July! Register now www.breathecourses.com

11/28/2024

Feeling grateful for the children and adults we serve. May the holiday bring you peace, love, gratitude and lots of pumpkin pie!!

11/16/2024

What is Orofacial Myology? This!

It is a modality that focuses on the evaluation and treatment of the muscles in the face and mouth, including the lips, cheeks, tongue, and jaw. The word "orofacial" refers to the mouth and face region, while "myology" is the study of muscles and how they function.

Orofacial myofunctional therapy can help treat a variety of conditions, including: mouth breathing, tongue thrust, tight or restricted tongue and lip ties, improper chewing and swallowing patterns, and lip incompetence.

Orofacial myology treatments can help improve balance and symmetry, and create healthy oral habits that can lead to better posture. Treatments often use a combination of behavior modification techniques and neuroplasticity methods to address the root causes of these disorders.

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11/06/2024

A multidisciplinary approach is a comprehensive approach to treating sleep and airway issues in children and adults. I’m proud to be a part of the multidisciplinary solution.

A multidisciplinary approach to care ensures every aspect of airway health is addressed comprehensively. Collaboration between experts leads to healthier, happier patients!