Dr. David's

Pearls of Wisdom

Have you heard of a Myo Munchee?

If your child has a sucking habit either with a pacifier or thumb, they most likely have narrow jaws and crooked teeth. Some other symptoms that come along with sucking habits are messy eating and swallowing incorrectly. If your child does not have teeth yet, this is the best time to break the habit. Given the fact that they haven’t had the habit as long as an older child, the habit is usually easier to correct. So the sooner the better!

Myo Munchee thumb or pacifier substitute

What exactly is a Myo Munchee?

It’s an appliance that is designed to use in the mouth instead of the thumb or pacifier. The kids can chew on the appliance. The chewing uses muscles that help correct the bad habit. Another benefit is that more saliva is produced which helps them to learn to swallow correctly. When swallowing while sucking on the pacifier or thumb a reversed swallow happens which affects the way the teeth and jaws come together. The Myo  Munchee also creates stimulation of the teeth and gums.

Myo Munchee thumb or pacifier substitute

How does it work?

Any sucking habit prevents the lips and teeth from coming together. Over time the oral muscles become weak. The tongue starts to thrust and this creates an open bite. These children can end up having difficulty with speech, become chronic mouth breathers and can be prone to ear infections. By actively chewing on it 2 times a day for 5-10 mins, not chewing on it at bedtime or watching T.V in combination with a couple of exercises we recommend for the lips and tongue. Doing this for as little as 6 months will help the teeth come together and the tongue will be trained to be in the correct tongue position in the roof of the mouth and no more tongue thrusting.

If you are having troubles getting rid of these habits, this could be the solution!