Can Myofunctional Therapy Help Halitosis?

Before we can answer this question, we must look a little deeper. Halitosis, or bad breath, can stem from a variety of factors in your mouth and even beyond the mouth. Key contributors are poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, eating “ stinky” foods, smoking, alcohol, coffee, dehydration, certain medications, and mouth breathing. In some cases, halitosis can even be a sign of an underlying medical condition, such as a sinus infection, acid reflux disease (GERD), diabetes, or even liver or kidney problems. 

Psychological factors such as anxiety and depression can also play a role in stimulating the nervous system, producing less saliva when a person is stressed. Saliva plays a vital role in washing away food debris and dead cells in your mouth. When your mouth is dry, this natural cleansing process is hampered, allowing bacteria to flourish. Dry mouth can stem from a reduction in the quality and quantity of saliva, thus allowing food particles and bacteria to build up on the teeth and tongue. This bacteria releases sulfur compounds and frequently is the culprit that causes the unpleasant odor. 

As health care providers we play an important role in identifying signs and symptoms of dry mouth (also known as Xerostomia). As part of our oral evaluation, a thorough review of medical history, medications, risk factors and oral habits should be identified. It is also important to notice the quality, quantity and consistency of the saliva. Common presentations can be described as white, frothy, thick, ropey or stringy. 

Myofunctional therapy can address halitosis (bad breath) in several ways, though it's important to note that it might not be the sole solution. Several goals of orofacial myology that are relevant include: 

1. Retraining of the muscles of the face and mouth 
2. Improving lip seal 
3. Restoring nasal breathing 
4. Improving tongue posture 

Thinking about the importance of these goals, we can understand how some clients will be benefitting from therapy. When the tongue cannot adequately move around the oral cavity, it does not allow for the best oral hygiene. When there is mouth breathing or poor lip seal, these can cause saliva to leak outside of the mouth instead of remaining inside the mouth where it plays important role in the digestive process. 

While therapy can help with bad breath caused by dry mouth as described, we must keep in mind that it might not address other underlying causes of halitosis. If bad breath persists, a dentist or doctor can help identify the cause and develop additional treatment.