Anyone who’s ever caught a glimpse of themselves as they passed by a mirror has probably thought about their neck and chin shape. The dreaded “double chin” is notorious for bruising our self-esteem. The usual solution plan is diet and exercise, but what if that doesn’t help? Something people rarely consider is their resting muscle posture. You can retrain your tongue and facial muscles using a few jawline exercises and tighten up your profile.
Neuromuscular dentistry is more than fixing teeth. The neuromuscular approach considers the nerves and muscles that support the teeth and mouth to produce the highest functioning, most appealing smiles possible. Part of having a great smile is loving the parts of your face around it, so for patients struggling with their profiles, we recommend:
To mew, push your tongue to the roof of your mouth and keep it pressed there with the tip of your tongue resting behind the teeth. Once the tongue is firmly pressed in this position, you should be able to feel some tension. For some additional muscle activation, mewers can hum while holding this position. The vibrating sound further activates the muscles supporting the jaw and neck.Mewing is good for your airway too! Resting the tongue on the floor of the mouth can contribute to Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
For patients looking for a more comprehensive regiment, myofunctional therapy combines isometric and isotonic exercises prescribed by a professional unique to the patient. As a bonus, patients usually benefit from better breathing habits and stronger tongue, mouth, and facial muscles.
These chin-ups aren’t the ones you’re used to. A person can perform this jawline exercise by closing their mouth and slowly pushing their jaw forward. Next, the person has to lift their lower lip until they feel tension in their chin muscles and hold that position for 10 seconds.
Seeing your reflection and not being satisfied with your neck and jaw shape might mean your muscles need some retraining. Contact Dr. Wallace at (843) 410-0345. Our office practices advanced dental techniques focused on a comprehensive approach to dentistry, including temporomandibular joint disorder, sleep apnea, airway dysfunction, and cosmetic dentistry. For more information, you can also fill out our contact form.
