The Four Pillars of Myo: Lip Seal

The second goal of myofunctional therapy is to maintain a proper lip seal both day and night. This promotes our other goals of nasal breathing and proper tongue posture. Ideally, we should be able to close our mouths and keep our lips together effortlessly, without straining our facial muscles. Breathing through our nose with our lips sealed is our natural state—so why do we deviate from it?

Typically, external factors negatively impact our airway, leading us to open our mouths and take in air. Mouth breathing serves as an emergency backup for our lungs, but we should switch back to nasal breathing as soon we are able. However, open mouth posture and mouth breathing can lead to increased nasal congestion. When you breathe through your mouth, it sends incorrect signals to the brain, prompting the body to produce more mucus in the nose in an effort to slow down breathing. This is when the cycle begins.

To further your understanding of lip seal and mouth breathing you can reference the article below.

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With the help of a myofunctional therapist, you can retrain your body to breathe through your nose and keep your mouth closed. Together, we can identify any anatomical issues and work towards maintaining a closed mouth both day and night.